Just Like Jessie
by Aaron Ledgers
Summary: Jessie has always been a part of Team Rocket. Even blasting off had never changed that. But when a cloned Mewtwo erases her memories, her life is brought to a screeching halt and she's forced to start over. Sadly, the darkness in her past is a very real threat: with the help of the same mewtwo who erased her past, can Jessie find her memories before they go up in flames?
1. Prologue: Scheme Gone Wrong

**Prologue: Another Pikachu Scheme Gone Wrong**

Pain... when had that become such a familiar sensation?

She had always lived with it... that, and anger as well, but this was pain of a different sort. She'd always told herself after being defeated that the pain would only make her stronger than ever, but now the only thing she could focus on was how much this latest backfired plan had hurt. The fact that it had also hurt the only two friends she'd ever had only added unneeded bitterness to the anger and hatred she was always feeling.

She had been weak... again.

She had failed the boss...

She had failed Meowth...

She had failed James...

But most of all, she had failed as a Pokemon trainer...

Jessie slowly crawled backwards and pressed herself against the cliff wall, nursing her injured shoulder with shadowed blue eyes: she was too proud and haughty to allow her friends to see how close she was to breaking down. They had been so close this latest time! So close to capturing Pikachu! It had almost been worth it... but they'd failed, and when they had to report to the boss, their punishment would not be a pleasant one.

After all, Team Rocket had been told that he would personally come to dish it out if they failed again.

James was already awake and sulking with his tail between his legs, and Meowth, as always, was grumbling and clawing at the dirt in frustration. Their latest blast-off had been pretty harsh compared to the rest... especially since Team Rocket had lost their rights to wielding Pokemon that didn't belong to them. The Ketch'um brat had been particularly cruel: instead of simply shocking them with Pikachu's powerful thunderbolt attack... he had combined six of his strongest Pokemon's attacks, just because they couldn't fight back for once.

As always, the trio had ended up somewhere nobody would ever look for them.

"Stupid Pikachu!" Meowth snapped in his usual nasally tone, finally sitting down and rubbing his face with a paw. "If only he weren't so tough! We'll have to come up with a bigger and better plan next time! How about we make another digging robot and snatch them when they least expect it?"

"Oh, but we've already tried that type of plan so many times," James groaned, flapping a lazy hand before wiping a smudge of dirt off his face and smoothing his shoulder-length sky-blue hair with a sigh. "We'll have to come up with a new one... that little brat always seems to expect what we throw at him, so we'll just have to think of something better than ever before."

"You're forgetting that we've used up all our funds," Jessie muttered, sourly pulling a purse out of her pocket and tipping it upside down; James and Meowth stared at it mournfully before lowering the heads with a sigh. "All of our funds come from the Boss... we can't do anything unless we think of a solution or capture Pikachu. Because of our last failure, he stripped us of the Pokemon we were lent."

She fell silent with a shudder and hugged her knee with one arm, not even realizing that James's hairspray had faded a little. Her long hair had broken free of its spiraling confines and many long strands were out of place. Still, it didn't take long for James to notice this.

The man's eyes instantly widened and he gasped before pulling a mini can of spray out of his pocket. The woman's sharp blue eyes flicked to look at him when he shook it, sprayed, and then pulled a comb out of his pocket. She rolled her eyes when he started fawning through her perfectly sculpted hair: he'd always been like this when it came to her tresses, during all the years she'd known him.

"Oh, Jessie," he sighed, smoothing her dyed crimson locks and patting them down. "Your hair is so long I can make anything out of it."

"Yeah," Meowth sniggered, giving her odd spiral an amused look, "but the head it's attached to ain't very pretty!"

"Who asked you?!" Jessie snapped; when he snickered, she abruptly got up and attempted to smack him upside the head, but the process strained her injured shoulder and she winced, falling back down with a sigh. "Little wretch... you're lucky I'm not in the mood."

"Are you all right?" James asked, touching her uninjured arm. "Are you hurting anywhere?"

"Just shut up!" the woman snapped, shooting him a glare. "I'm fine!"

"If you say so," James sighed, looking highly relieved; then his face fell and he looked at the ground. "I wonder when the boss will show up...?"

"Probably any moment now," Jessie muttered, shaking her head in dismay. "He has eyes everywhere... he probably already knows we failed. He was tracking us, so so all that's left is to wait for him to show up and tell us what our punishment will be."

"It won't be a bad one, right?" Meowth asked. "Tha boss is gonna be mad for sure!"

"At worst, he could demote us, I guess..." Jessie muttered. "Then again, we're already at the end of our rope and we can't go down any farther. I hate those petulant brats... we really messed up good this time."

"Do you think he'll fire us?" James asked, sounding oddly calm about the situation. "If that's the case, I'll probably have to go back home... we might as well start thinking about things like that. I can't stand the thought of giving up, but... if he fires us, we'll have no choice."

"I'll go wherever you two go," Meowth sneered, closing his eyes with a catty smile. "We're in this t'gether, ain't we, nyah?"

"Where will you go, Jessie?" James asked, glancing at her with curious eyes; the woman's painted lips were pressed into a thin line and her blue eyes were shadowed, but not long after she buried her chin in her knees and turned her face away from his gaze. "Jessie?"

"I don't know," she grunted, making the two males roll their eyes. "Why should I bother with such a stupid question?"

"Typical," Meowth sighed, giving her a snarky attitude. "Y'know, lately it seems as though you ain't really wit' th' program, Jessie."

She remained silent, choosing to ignore that statement.

Slowly leaning back, she stared at the darkening sky with hazed blue eyes.

Home?

She didn't have one.

In fact, she didn't even understand why James had left his in the first place.

He was wealthy, he had loving parents, and his fiance was beautiful on top of being wholeheartedly devoted. She didn't understand what was so bad about having the same things she had always wanted. And deep down, somewhere within the core of her blackened heart, Jessie knew that the only reason she was still a part of Team Rocket was because it gave her the illusion of being needed.

That being part of their team made them... family.

It was so pathetic that she felt humiliated by her own feelings.

"I never learn," she sneered, closing her eyes when the distant sound of a helicopter filled the air. "Disgraceful."

"Jessie?" James sighed, looking at her. "Are you sure you're all right?"

"I said I'm fine," she snapped. "The boss is here, so retain your composure!"

Around that moment, a helicopter appeared over the edge of the mountain and made the trio look up: a huge red 'R' had been painted along the side of it, making all three of them wince. When it landed, their Boss slid open the doors of the aircraft and stepped out, orange tuxedo glinting in the moonlight and jet black hair reflecting everything with an oily sheen. His Persian had curled around his shoulders and was now looking at Team Rocket with gleeful red eyes. Jessie and James instantly stood up and respectfully gave a salute.

He merely looked at them... judging them... taking in their appearances.

After a moment, he held his jeweled cane in front of him and rapped the ground with it.

Almost immediately, a beautiful blonde girl with a great figure and shoulder-length hair jumped out of the jet, holding a black rose between her fingers and wearing a black version of their uniform. Following her were two Rocket soldiers in black: their faces were shadowed, but when the blonde girl glanced at their boss, he nodded before stepping back to watch the spectacle unfold.

Jessie narrowed her eyes in distaste when the blonde girl grinned and skipped over to them.

"Domino?!" James scoffed, eyes widening in total surprise; Meowth instantly hissed and growled at her. "What are you doing here?"

Instead of answering, the blonde girl shoved Jessie aside: the redhead lost her balance and fell on top of Meowth, who clawed her in an attempt to get free. However, both of them watched as the girl walked her fingers up his chest, making the man's dyed blue hair stick out in almost every direction from the shock. He stared at the blonde girl's angry smile with huge eyes.

"What are you talking about, silly?" Domino practically purred, sticking the black rose between his teeth. "This is yours now... because from today onward, I'm your new partner! Or rather, your senior since you're going back into training!"

Jessie, James, and Meowth all blinked in rapid synchronicity before sharing a confused glance with each other.

However, when their boss's eyes narrowed and he rapped his cane again, the two men standing on either side of the blonde bolted forward and grabbed Jessie's shoulders with rough movements. The woman's eyes widened and she instantly struggled, not comprehending what was happening.

"Hey! Let go of me!" she snapped, fighting to get free. "What the heck are you doing?! Unhand me this instant!"

"I'm afraid they can't do that, you creepy old hag," Domino cheekily retorted, gripping James's arm with a crushing hold when he tried to step forward. "I'm taking your place from now on under the boss's orders. Apparently, he thinks it's time to punish you three in a way that will actually hurt you."

"No way!" Meowth snarled, folding his arms with a snooty attitude. "I won't accept anyone but Jessie!"

"Same here!" James stammered, eyes wide with shocked outrage. "I'll quit!"

"Don't," Jessie barked, glancing at him over her shoulder as she was dragged away; her friends blinked when they saw her frantic eyes. "Don't quit: I'll make sure I become a better Rocket so he'll let me come back, okay? This is nothing! I'll come back quicker than you can blink!"

"I'm afraid that won't ever happen, Jessica," Giovani himself sneered, stepping forward and clasping her slender jaw; Jessie's eyes widened in alarm when he brought his face close to her own, almost seeming to be glaring directly down into her soul. "Your punishment will be permanent... and this, I'm afraid, is only the beginning of it. I hope what is about to come teaches you a lesson... if, that is, you ever remember it once we're through. Now... let's head back to the Kanto region."

With that, the men dragged her onto the jet, and the Boss of Team Rocket climbed in.

Jessie pressed a hand against the window with large eyes, watching as James and Meowth tried to charge it... but then, they were taking off... and the redhead's eyes were soon no longer visible. James and Meowth both shivered violently when Domino let out an angry sigh and looked around, blue eyes going from cute to cold: she looked as though she were severely pissed off.

"Well, at least I don't have to be partnered up with that ugly old hag," she muttered, folding her arms. "Let's get going: we're heading to the nearest town, and you boys are paying for the rooms we're renting."

"We're penniless, though," James whined, glancing at Meowth in horror. "We don't have a single dime!"

"Steal some money, then," Domino sneered, glaring at them in a way that made both males shudder. "Are you Rockets or not?"

It was official: this latest development was going to be hell on earth.


	2. Chapter 1: The Battle With MewTwo

**The Battle With MewTwo**

Jessie was pissed.

Beyond pissed.

So pissed that she wanted to strangle someone.

Her face was redder than her hair.

Steam should have been shooting out of her ears, by all rights.

Giovanni was sitting across from her, looking out the window and completely ignoring the fact that his underlings hadn't removed their hands from her arms. Normally she wouldn't have really cared, since she was extremely tough... but even with her combat training, her shoulder was killing her.

Even worse, they were treating her like a convict.

"Is this really necessary?" the redhead carefully demanded, trying to keep her voice even despite her twitching eyelid; she shuddered and averted her eyes when Giovanni's gaze flicked to her face for a moment... even now, she hated the fact that this man terrified her so much. There was a reason for that, too, since he used people's darkest fears to control them. "They're... hurting me, Boss."

"Good," Giovanni sneered, making a vein pop out in her forehead. "Get used to it: you'll be in for a lot worse once we get back to base."

"For what?!" Jessica finally snapped, turning a somewhat mixed glare on him: she looked equal parts outraged, fearful, and angry. "I think I missed the memo, so what, exactly, did I do to deserve this kind of treatment?! Boss, what did I do?!"

"Your plan was the one that failed this time," Giovanni sneered, making her frown in confusion. "That is all you did. Now you will take responsibility."

"What does that mean?" Jessie sullenly demanded, lips pulling into a sneer. "Take responsibility? For what?"

"For failing in a three-year attempt to kidnap a little boy's Pikachu," the Leader of the Rockets retorted, eying the scenery as they swept over the ocean that divided the Jhoto region from the Kanto region. "You've been at it for years now, and you haven't managed it once. Pathetic."

"Well excuse me for losing against a Pokemon that had us outmatched from the get-go," Jessica tartly retorted, wincing when Giovanni glanced at her with a sharp expression; the two men sitting on either side of her tightened their grips so much that she actually winced and her face contorted a bit. She grunted, squeezing one eye shut with gritted teeth. "Ow! OW! Enough! Unhand me, you rancid brutes!"

She was so busy struggling that she didn't ever realize that the helicopter was landing until the door flew open.

"Take her to battlefield seventy-nine with subject 150-B," Giovanni rapped out, watching as the red-haired woman was dragged out of the chopper and pulled across the concrete; her white knee-high boots dragged across the ground as she was pulled, struggling, underground and straight into an enormous facility with Pokemon of all sorts locked in cages. "I want her to be broadcasted to all of the Teams across the world."

"Broadcasted?!" Jessie spat, struggling to glare over her shoulders just before he vanished. "What is that supposed to mean? Boss! Hey! BOSS!"

He didn't answer.

Jessie grit her teeth and let out a snarl of frustration when someone dragged a blindfold over her head, kicking her legs and trying to get free.

Then she felt an excruciating jerk that made her chest and shoulders scream in agony.

Jessie actually shrieked, eyes flying open wide and mouth dropping open as she was roughly thrust into an area she couldn't see. She landed heavily on the ground and wheezed, muscles smarting horribly. For several moments, her arms hurt too much to even take the blindfold off.

Then she slowly lifted her hand and ripped it away from her face, breathing hard.

The woman was prepared to do some bitching about whatever might be happening, but confusion overwhelmed her when she realized where she was standing. It was dark, so she couldn't really see very much... but if she wasn't mistaken about the shape, this was a Pokemon stadium.

She blinked several times before standing up and irritably dusting herself off.

The guards had shut the door behind her, so she couldn't get out.

"Hey!" Jessie shouted, eyebrows drawn back and painted lips taught with fury. "If anyone's in here, you'd better not try anything funny!"

"Silence!" Giovanni's brutish voice roared, making the redhead flinch; but then, more quietly and seething with malice, she heard, "be silent while you can, woman: don't shame yourself any further. If you put up a good fight, you might just earn your freedom at the very least."

"Huh?!" Jessie screeched, face contorted in outrage. "You're joking! What the heck is going on here, Boss?!"

"Let it be known that Team Rocket is the most ruthless crime syndicate in the world!" the man thundered, voice resonating throughout the room and making the woman shake with rage. "We will not hesitate or tolerate failure, even amongst our own. For those of you who had your television programs cut off for this, enjoy this live spectacle: this woman will be our example! So, let the match... begin!"

Jessie gasped and stumbled backwards when the stadium was suddenly lit up almost blindingly, covering her eyes.

After blinking the spots away, she lowered her glove-clad arms and looked around in confusion only to spot something and freeze.

Standing on the other end of the battlefield was a Mewtwo wearing enhanced psychokinetic armor.

"W-w-what's going on here?" Jessie stammered, smiling nervously at all of the cameras that had been stretched out along the room. "S-seriously, Boss, this isn't even funny anymore! What the heck has gotten into you?! Please, just tell me what I'm supposed to do!"

"Mewtwo," Giovanni stated coldly, making the woman's face go pale; she instantly glanced at the Pokemon to see it turning its head ever so slightly, but the sight made her stomach go cold. "That woman is your opponent... as of now, she is on the same level as any other Pokemon. Do not hold back on your attacks. Fight... just I trained you to."

When it looked at her again, her heart skipped a beat.

"Seriously?" she whispered, blue eye huge. "A Pokemon Battle... against me?!"

"Mewtwo..." Giovanni thundered. "Go!"

Like the snap of a whip, the Psychic Pokemon lifted into the air and flew towards Jessie at warp speed.

Her pupils became enormous and she leapt out of the way with a yelp, landing heavily on her side; however, she gasped when she was suddenly lifted into the air, flailing her arms in terror. Then the Pokemon was charging at her again, and her eyes widened only a split second before it slammed into her gut and smashed her against the stadium walls. She immediately heaved, mouth flying open as the Mewtwo flew back a few feet, seeming to be waiting for her attack.

However, Jessie merely sank to her knees and pressed her head to the ground, clutching her stomach and trying to breathe.

"Y-you bastard!" the redhead hissed, struggling to sit up and get back to her feet. "That... that hurt!"

"Is that all you have, Jessica?" Giovanni asked, purposely keeping his face hidden from the cameras; he also had his voice concealer on again, the same way he used to in the old days. "I never realized you were this pathetic... how on earth did you ever make it into Team Rocket?"

"My name is JESSIE!" the woman screeched, stumbling to her feet and charging at the Mewtwo with her fist drawn back; she let out a war cry and tried to deck the Pokemon in the face, but all of a sudden... it wasn't there. Her eyes widened and she stumbled, losing her balance... but then there was a harsh blow from behind and she went flying onto her stomach. "OW! Dammit! How can I beat a Pokemon that can teleport?!"

"Haven't you understood it?" Giovanni snickered, making the woman scowl in anger. "You're not going to beat him. He will destroy you."

"What?!" Jessie shouted, looking up at the man with enraged eyes. "Give me a break! Thieves or not, Team Rocket has a code of honor: this is so far below the expectations of what it means to be a Rocket that I can't believe what I'm hearing!"

"Crime is crime," the Boss snickered coldly, making the woman's heart freeze. "There is no honor among thieves. That's why you and your pathetic friends were always losing to a measly little boy's Pikachu: you never fought dirty, Jessica... none of you did."

"Isn't that a good thing?!" she shouted, glaring at him. "Clean getaways are more satisfying!"

"Team Rocket is known for brutality, not sneakiness," Giovanni sneered. "In fact, don't you remember why our group is the most feared? Out of all the syndicates in the world?"

Jessica blinked and frowned, feeling confused.

"Because we always win!" she snapped, staring at him. "Of course I remember that!"

The redhead scowled when Giovanni roared with laughter.

"Such ironic words coming from the mouth of a loser," he cackled, then looked down with a vicious smile, "but no, that is not the reason at all. Team Plasma wants to free all Pokemon by any means necessary. Team Galactic has been bombing lakes to force rare pokemon out of hiding. Teams Aqua and Magma resurrected two Pokemon that hated each other and inadvertently destroyed themselves."

Jessie's eyes narrowed.

"I already know all this, Boss!" she shouted. "My team and I were there for all of those situations, trying to kidnap rare Pokemon."

"That is where your error lies," Giovanni sneered. "You failed at petty kidnapping, when we, Team Rocket, have killed entire groups of Pokemon to punish their master's resistence. When we, Team Rocket, have brutalized thousands of young trainers and taken their Pokemon away from them, no matter the cost. When we, Team Rocket, have ransacked entire towns and poached wild Pokemon for their valuable resources."

Jessie's eyes widened in horror and she stepped back, staring up at him in disbelief.

"You... you're lying!" she stammered, heart skipping beats. "Team Rocket has never killed Pokemon! They... they're our partners!"

"Oh?" Giovanni snorted, eyes narrowing in contempt. "Did you never hear of the Lavender town Massacre?"

Jessie's eyes went blank, since she had indeed heard rumours... but truthfully, she had never believed them.

"Those are just rumours!" she shouted. "There's no way! Right?!"

"It was a very real incident, Jessica," the man stated lowly. "Five years ago, the Rockets I specifically chose for that mission went on a poaching trip to Lavender Town. They killed an entire family of Pokemon in the process: even now, the sole survivor wears his mother's skull and wanders around her grave. We have not taken him only because a broken Pokemon like that is not fit to battle. He is weak, just like you. Now, let us end this. Mewtwo!"

Jessie's eyes went wide when Mewtwo was suddenly in front of her.

She practically squeaked like a little girl when it clutched her entire face with one hand and lifted her clean off the ground.

"Mewtwo," Giovanni stated with a chuckle. "Look into her mind and see what makes this pathetic Caterpie tick."

"NO!" Jessie screeched, kicking her legs when the Pokemon turned to face her; she couldn't see its eyes, which only made it worse. "DON'T DO IT!"

"Now, Mewtwo," the man called, making the Pokemon look back and forth between them. "Tell me what you see..."

"NOOOOOOO!" Jessie wailed, eyes squeezing shut as everything she'd gone through exploded to the front of her mind from the ground up. "NOOO!"

Then her awareness dissolved into glittering sparkles that rained down on her from the sky.

Jessie slowly tilted her head back with vacant blue eyes, staring emptily at the beautifully clear lights that had started raining around her like shimmering tears. Then her sculpted hair slid out of its hair-sprayed confines and billowed around her torso, exploding all the way down to the back of her calves. She felt herself falling out of her body and down into darkness... yes, she was falling...

Falling into memories she didn't want to remember and memories she had tried to forget.

Unknown to her, the Mewtwo was falling as well: the Pokemon was descending through a darkness so deep that no light could ever touch it. These shadows were full of pain... a pain that had been etched so deep into Jessie's subconscious that no amount of love could ever heal it. Out of nowhere, a hauntingly beautiful melody began to echo around the Pokemon's mind, searing into its soul.

The Pokemon's tail flicked around and its teal eyes flitted from place to place as several voices began to float around it... voices full of cruelty and anger.

When the Pokemon tentatively stretched out a paw to find out where it was, what it got instead was a roaring waterfall of images that were full of life and sound. There were millions of them: millions of painful memories, acts of unspeakable torment that no child should have ever endured. Not even the ripping torture that Mewtwo itself had gone through during the training sessions could compare with this agony... because unlike its injuries, both physical and not, these had been inflicted on a girl who'd loved the people who were hurting her so badly.

She'd loved them, did everything she could to be accepted, and in the end... she was trash.

Filth.

Nothing...

She was alone in the dark... alone, unloved, harassed... shattering like a mirror in the face of the world's hate.

She must become empty... she couldn't break... she must become a living doll in order to endure the pain... a living doll... but there was no escaping.

The darkness never faded: it merely filled the emptiness she created, eating at her heart from the inside.

It turned her bitter... spoiled, angry, full of hate... she wanted to loathe the world instead of love it.

She wanted to return the feelings of suffering that had been inflicted upon her... wanted to make the sensation mutual.

"Please... no..." Jessie whimpered, body dangling limply in the Pokemon's grasp; Giovanni smirked when tears started streaming down Jessie's face, but then his eyes went blank because a similar trickle was starting to leak from the inside of the Pokemon's helmet. "Please... don't... you promised we'd do everything together, so you can't..."

"Mewtwo! Finish her!" Giovanni barked, leaning forward with a disturbed expression. "Do you understand me?"

There was no response from either of them.

The psychic Pokemon was seeing images and hearing hundreds of cruel voices that blurred and distorted as he fell...

These memories were too painful for a soul like his.

They were too lonely... too full of darkness.

"MEWTWO!" Giovanni finally roared, making the shaking Pokemon twitch. "FINISH HER! I DON'T CARE HOW YOU DO IT, JUST FINISH HER!"

Jessica was merely staring off into space, eyes soft with pain.

'Why do you walk the path of darkness?' the Pokemon telepathically inquired. 'Why do you follow a road full of hate and shadow?'

"Walking with a friend in the dark is better than walking alone in the light," Jessie chuckled humorlessly, responding in an almost robotic voice. "I was alone in the light, but the darkness gave me what being good never could."

'I have heard enough,' the Pokemon snapped, lowering Jessica back to the ground. 'My hand will be the end of you.'

Thus, in an attempt to escape his own suffering, the Pokemon unwittingly erased every single memory that had been locked away inside Jessica's mind.

Seconds later, she collapsed to the ground, unconscious.

Giovanni's eyes widened ever so slightly when he saw the redhead lying on the ground, unmoving.

Unnaturally still...

"Mewtwo..." he growled, staring at the tears that finally brimmed over from her empty blue eyes and slid down her pearly cheek. "What have you done to her? Why is she so still?"

The Pokemon was quietly shaking, head tilted back with tears streaming through its visor.

'I have taken away all of her memories,' the creature finally responded.

Giovanni's shoulders stiffened in outrage.

"You fool!" he barked, smashing the butt of his cane against the ground. "You were supposed to knock her unconscious! Not destroy her mind! Fix this! Now!"

'I cannot, for I do not know how to restore them,' the Pokemon responded. 'It seems as though I've absorbed her memories.'

"Dammit!" Giovanni cursed, turning his back. "Someone, take 150-B to the isolation chamber. And clean up the mess he made... just make it look like an accident so the authorities don't suspect anything. Drop her off the cliff outside the base."

With that, he walked away... and the cameras broadcasting the scene shut down.

Then the lights went dark...

And Jessica was taken away.

To where, nobody yet knows... but we'll soon find out.


	3. Chapter 2: Blank Slate

**Blank Slate**

It began with the song... there was darkness, but within it was a strange melody.

Beautiful, haunting... but above all, frightening.

No... terrifying.

It was as though the melody was calling her, reaching out to her with glowing violet arms... feeling a strange yearning, she approached the purple light with outstretched hands, wishing for nothing but to become part of the sad, haunting melody ringing out like the toll of a funeral bell. Slowly, she wrapped her arms around the Lavender light and -

- a violent shock jolted through both of her arms.

Her eyes flew open wide, but the bright lights overhead made her cringe almost instantly; with a whine, she closed them again and tossed up her hands to block the light. However, the moment she moved, agony rocketed throughout her entire abdomen and she let out a shriek of pain.

A few seconds later she heard a door swing open and the curtain slid aside.

"Chansey, go get the doctor right now! The comatose patient in room three just woke up!" a female voice hollered in alarm; a set of hands soon grabbed her shoulders gently. "Easy, honey, just calm down… there's no need to pop the stitches in your back, okay?"

Stitches? she wondered hazily; her head was pounding and her body ached. What are stitches...?

"I'll go get the doctor," the soothing voice stammered. "Try to stay calm until I'm back."

"What happened?" she tried to croak, but the woman was gone—leaving her alone. "Wait..."

Her back seared, preventing her from speaking above croak.

That's when the girl realized that she couldn't remember much of anything at all, even her own name.

Huh? she wondered, feeling more than a little disoriented. Wait... who... am I?

This was wrong. She could remember that much. It was wrong, and that alone scared her.

Thankfully, a clean-cut older looking man came into her room before she could go into hysterics: judging by his attire, she guessed that he was the doctor. She watched with bleary indigo eyes as he came up to her bed, but flinched when he removed the oxygen mask from her mouth.

"Jessica Rougette? I'm Dr. Kesslov and this is Nurse Chansey," the doctor greeted warmly, gesturing to himself and the pink Pokemon. "I'm glad that you're finally awake, but I need you tell me something. How are you feeling? Are you hurting anywhere? Can you see all right?"

"I'm f-fine," the girl managed to croak out, finding it difficult for her vocal chords to function properly.

"Wonderful!" the doctor sighed in relief, taking a clipboard the Chansey held out. "There's no sign of any lasting head trauma, and her responses are normal."

"Hey, hold on... w-what did you say my name was?" she groggily asked, slowly looking around in confusion as she tried to figure out where she was and why she was there. She looked up when the doctor drew back with an extreme look of alarm, and an unpleasant prickle of anxiety stabbed through her chest; the Chansey instantly started a flurry of activity across the room. "W-what's wrong?"

"Okay, I want you to take a few deep breaths and stay calm," the man stated. "This might come as a bit of a shock…"

"What do you mean?" the girl asked, breath slowly coming to a halt; it was then that she realized she couldn't remember anything at all... not her life, not her name, not even the knowledge behind the words she was speaking. The heart monitor immediately began to go nuts. "What?! H-hey, who am I?!"

"Just lie down; there's no need to work yourself into a panic right now," the doctor stated firmly, drawing a pen-light from his front pocket and holding a finger up in front of her large blue eyes. "Can you follow my finger, please?"

"Yes," the girl replied, looking at his finger and following it as the light was shined into her eyes.

"You are responding well, and the EKGs showed no brain trauma," the doctor stated, puzzled. "Your memory shouldn't have been affected by the injuries you received during the fall you took, or even the water you inhaled, so I highly doubt it's a permanent side effect. It's most likely the trauma, which means that your memories could come back at any time, kiddo. You shouldn't feel too worried about losing them."

"What happened to me?" the girl repeated for what felt like the millionth time.

"You were… in an accident," he explained, finally answering her question. "However… it's all over now, so there's nothing you need to worry about."

"What accident?!" Jessica cried, feeling terrified; she instantly grabbed the doctor's arm with enormous eyes. "How old am I? Where are my parents?! Are they here, too?"

Even as she said it, she didn't know why... it was just inherent that she knew everyone had parents.

The doctor's hand stilled and he stared at her.

"According to your original birth certificate... you're seventeen... but your forged one says that you're twenty-seven," he stated slowly, making the girl blink in confusion; then the doctor somberly lowered his head. "We contacted your foster mother's living residence, but we received no answer whatsoever. We're currently trying to inform her of what has happened... but, we haven't had any luck."

The response had her heart racing and bolted upright, wincing when she felt a searing pain in her back.

"Which is it?! Twenty-Seven or Seventeen?!" the girl squeaked, shaking her head in terror. "How old am I?! Who am I?! What's going on?! Please, help me!"

The doctor tried to push her back down, but she fought him.

She heard one of the Chanseys uttering it's name in an urgent manner; the doctor mumbled something under his breath as he took a needle from its hands. Seeing that, she went into an uncontrollable state of panic and had to be sedated so she wouldn't pop her stitches. He gently poked her shoulder and she slumped backward after a moment, feeling numb and tingly.

Several hours passed with her body feeling this way.

Jessica lay staring at the ceiling, calf-length crimson hair splayed out around her shoulders as silent tears spilled down her cheeks. Her parents were missing, but even worse than that was the fact that she couldn't even remember them. A few hours later, though, the doctor came back.

After going through several more tests to figure out the dilemma she was experiencing, she was told that she wouldn't be able to force her memories back. In other words, unless something triggered her mind into remembering who she was, there was no way she could get her old self back. Her heart throbbed with agony as she lay there, saddled with the burden of having no past and being completely alone.

However, when the sun was finally starting to set, there was a knock on the door and she frowned.

"Come in?" she croaked out; however, a tall man with short gray hair walked inside, carrying a briefcase in his hands; when he looked at the redhead and saw the state her body was in, he winced and rubbed the back of his neck before frowning apologetically. "Hello... who are you?"

"Miss… Rougette?" he questioned, and Jessica nodded slowly.

"That's me, I think," she replied, eying him nervously. "What can I do for you?"

"My name is Professor Oak," the Poke Professor cautiously explained, watching as Jessica's iridescent blue eyes widened and she sat up a little more; the girl motioned to a chair and he sat down, silently opening his briefcase; however, the look he was giving her made her stomach feel weird. He seemed half-disbelieving and half... afraid? "I'm a friend of the woman who offered to take you in this morning."

"Eh?" Jessica asked, blinking. "Is... that so?"

The man cleared his throat and looked at the redhead, who was staring at him with large, curious, and eager blue eyes.

"First off, I will be frank with you," he grumbled. "After everything you did... I was honestly shocked that Delia offered to take you in."

Professor Oak had lowered his eyes to his paperwork as he said this, waiting for the girl to go off on him.

He was already expecting as much since Ash had told him some rather horrific tales about this same woman's temper two years back. However, he paused when nothing happened: the room was so silent that he could have heard a pin drop. After a moment, he cautiously opened his eyes... but his face paled when he saw the look on her face. Jessica's expression was similar to that of a baby Pikachu he'd once taken in a long time ago.

A Pikachu that had been kicked clean in the face by its owner for no reason and had then been given to Ash himself only a week later.

"W-why?" Jessica asked, looking devastated and horrified by his statement. "Did I... do something wrong?"

The man's expression went blank and he dropped his papers to the floor.

"You don't remember?" he squawked, eyes widening when she shook her head. "Oh, my... they said you were having difficulty remembering things, but not like this!"

"What did I do?!" Jessica demanded, jumping into the subject with a frantic expression. "Please! I can't remember anything! Tell me!"

"There's really nothing worth knowing," Professor Oak immediately stammered, flailing his arms with an alarmed expression; then the man carefully began reading the papers in front of him. "Anyway... since you currently have no relatives and the doctors are concerned about you not having any place to stay once you're discharged, we've all made a decision on your behalf since you're a minor. You are going to be placed in the care of a woman named Delia Ketch'um, and starting today, she is taking charge of you."

"Miss Ketch'um?" Jessica asked, feeling extremely confused and overwhelmed. "Is she here? Where does she live?"

"No, she's not here..." the professor promptly replied. "She lives in a place called Pallet Town."

Jessica was suddenly at a loss for words: her mind was screaming in fear and confusion, but she couldn't say a thing… she just looked at her small hands.

"You said that you were... surprised she offered to take me in," the girl hesitantly pointed out; the look in her eyes revealed her vulnerability. "Does she... hate me?"

"Delia is one of the most loving people I've ever met: I highly doubt that she's even capable of feeling hatred," the professor snorted, then stood up turned to leave the room again; however, after a moment he paused... and then he turned around, touching her shaking shoulder. "The point of the matter is that you are only seventeen years old. Until you decide to leave on your own, you won't have any other choice but to follow her rules and get along with her son, Ash. I'll return tomorrow when I've spoken to Delia... we'll come and visit for a while. Just rest until you get better."

Then, without another word, the man turned around and left the room.

A chilling silence followed his departure.

Jessica shook her head, indigo eyes closing tight to lock in all of her tears before they could fall.

"Who am I?" she whispered brokenly.

That was the only thought that filled her heart and mind.

Who was she?

Why did people hate her?

Why did she have two ages?

Who were her parents?

What had she done to make people not want to help her?

Why had she lost her memories?

What had the accident been...?

Millions of questions such as these flooded her mind for hours: by the time they finally ceased, it was starting to get dark. Jessica yawned and slowly sat up, stretching her arms above her head... only to feel the familiar searing pain shoot through her back and chest. She jerked sharply and mewled in agony, folding herself back down with a wince. This pain was horrible: her arm throbbed, her head ached, and the stitches in her back burned and itched feverishly.

Jessica looked out of her window, but judging by the position of the sun in the sky, she figured that it was almost time to fall back asleep. However, after another three hours of trying, she sighed heavily; she would have been much happier if sleep would actually come to her. Every time she drifted off to sleep, she felt something weird plucking at her head and it roused her again.

Wake up, a voice seemed to hiss. Wake up... wake up.

"My brain isn't working properly..." Jessica muttered, bringing her hands to her face and rubbing her tired eyes before she began to wrack her brain, trying desperately to put all of the pieces together. "Why am I hearing voices? Nobody's in here."

All of a sudden, her mind flashed and she froze.

Suddenly... suddenly, she could see faces, terrified faces—all around she could see the panic and fear.

They were looking right at her... right at her.

Did this mean that she was the source of the fear?

No... she was a good person! She had to be!

They couldn't be afraid of her!

Right...?

Before she could snatch the memory, it faded away like smoke and she shivered violently, pulling the covers up to her chin. The electrocardiograph machine—which had been steadily and rhythmically beeping—began to race feverishly until it was blaring so quickly that it sounded like a flat-line.

"Let me out…" a voice whispered, coming from everywhere at once. "You know you want to…"

"Who's there?!" Jessica squeaked, hands trembling involuntarily as she looked around. "Hello?!"

Nobody answered.

Jessica tried her best to put on a brave front: she choked back her fear the best she could as the voice continued to whisper to her.

Somehow, she got the feeling that she couldn't let her anger overwhelm her… not here… not now.

Not ever.

She lay there until night had descended, watching as the astral sky became ablaze in nocturnal splendor. The waning moon burned in the sky, bathing the Kanto region in pallid radiance.

The moonlight poured into Jessica's room and cast serpentine shadows on the walls and floor.

Although the night was still and silence prevailed over all else, the girl couldn't find solace; her exhausted body just couldn't convince her crazed mind to rest. Jessica remained motionless, feeling as though she and the bed had fused symbiotically; it had been so long since she'd stirred that she couldn't even remember where she ended and the sheets began.

Her exhausted blue eyes darted around the room, taking in every detail of the small, sterile domicile.

The walls, which were painted in a clean, bright white, looked almost charcoal grey in the darkness: the white linoleum floor was pristine, and the glow of the moonlight reflected off of it intensely. The cabinet in the corner of the room, which contained various sorts of medical supplies, stood silently in the darkness. Jessica brought her hands to her face and rubbed her tired eyes.

Then she took a deep breath and held it, allowing the searing pain to once again make its presence known before slowly releasing it.

The electrocardiograph machine sounded ever so softly every couple of seconds, marking each heartbeat dutifully.

Similarly, Jessica's heart throbbed in unison with the electrocardiograph machine.

"This is so boring," the girl finally whined, wanting nothing more than to go to sleep. "Why am I here? Why won't anyone tell me what happened?"

Feeling twitchy, Jessica folded her hands over the button-up hospital gown she was wearing and sighed heavily. Soothed by the moonlight cascading through her window, the redhead stole a glance at the moon and allowed her mind to drift away. She didn't really think of anything aside from her daydreams about who she used to be.

Perhaps she'd been a woman of high standing?

She might have run her own company, or been a lawyer, or maybe even a business woman!

Oh, or maybe she'd been a firefighter or a policewoman, like Officer Jenny!

Wait... who was Officer Jenny?

Jessica frowned and thought hard, unexpectedly getting a flash of a woman with frizzy blue hair and an angry expression looking right at her.

Then the image was gone... and the redhead was left feeling extremely confused.

"Officer Jenny?" she wondered, rolling the name around on her tongue like a piece of candy. "I wonder who that is?"

Feeling despondent, the redhead girl sank back further into the stiff hospital bed: her dyed, calf-length hair was splayed around her body like a glistening crimson pillow. For a moment, she stared blankly at the ceiling tiles; her mind was still racing, still churning on all cylinders... but then she saw something move across the room and jumped in a startled manner: someone was in here with her.

"You are a fool," a sly, angry, and extremely seductive voice purred. "Your innocent act disgusts me."

"Eh?" Jessica whispered, eyes flying open wide: her heart began to race and her stomach tied itself into knots. "W-who are you...?"

This voice didn't seem to be merely reverberating inside her mind, but coming… from inside her room.

Jessica grabbed onto the sidebars of her bed and painstakingly strained to reach an upright position; she looked around her room to see who had spoken, but she didn't see anyone there. The girl remained upright, the wounds on her back burning and stinging as she strained her injured muscles.

"Don't ask such a stupid question, you tramp," the voice whispered. "Wake up! Give back my body!"

"What are you talking about?!" Jessica hissed, blue eyes flashing with fear. "I-if this is a joke, it's not funny!"

The voice let out a mocking laugh, sending a shiver throughout Jessica's small body.

She felt as though that same laugh had once come from her own mouth.

"I agree! It's not funny at all!" the voice snickered. "The only joke going on here is that you don't even know who you're talking to!"

The words of the vixen-like voice resounded throughout the small, moonlit room.

Sweat began to form on Jessica's face as she choked back the lump in her throat.

She firmly clenched the metal sidebars of her hospital bed and continued to hold herself upright; pain shot throughout her core since her body wasn't healed. Her large blue eyes flashed around the room as her breathing grew heavier and became more labored. Out of the corner of her eye, the girl saw something stirring in the shadows and quickly turned her head: she stared with dilated pupils for a moment, believing that her eyes were playing tricks on her.

She even raised her right hand to her eyes and rubbed them roughly, believing sleep deprivation to be the culprit.

However, when she opened them again, she could clearly discern a silhouette among the shadows.

There was definitely a shadow standing veiled in the corner of the room... someone with long hair that curled in an odd manner... but who was it?

"Just because you want me to be a figment of your imagination, it won't ever happen," the seductive voice continued. "After all, I'm the real you..."

Jessica watched in horror as the shadowy figure began to move forward toward her bedside, emerging from the darkness and taking on a tangible form. The figure's steps were slow… methodical… calculating—so smooth and light that it appeared as though the specter were walking on air. Only a beam of moonlight separated the figure from her bedside... but then... the figure stepped into the moonlight pouring in from the widow, emerging from the darkness.

Jessica's eyes widened in disbelief and she gasped, taken aback by the sight of the doppelganger before her.

The woman looked exactly as she did, with three notable exceptions: piercing blue eyes that had narrowed in a sharp, dangerous manner... tons of poorly-applied makeup that made her look nearly ten years older than she really was... and long crimson hair that had been curled into the shape of a spiraling whip. The nefarious shade sashayed towards the side of Jessica's bed, grasping one of the sidebars and propping herself up. She directed her gaze toward the girl, who shuffled back as far as she could in a vain attempt to escape.

"Quit being such a coward!" the woman instantly screeched, making Jessica flinch backwards. "There's no need to get all bent out of shape! I'm not that scary!"

"Go away…" Jessica whispered, round blue eyes large and body trembling with fear. "Leave me alone!"

The angry woman smiled widely, teeth glowing dimly in the moonlit room: her sharp eyes had narrowed even further, making her look even more dangerous.

"Why would I want to do that?" she slyly asked, shaking her head from side to side—as though to stress her discontentment; the doppelganger continued to lean against the sidebar of the redhead's hospital bed, eyes fixated on her face; almost as though she was sizing her up. "It's time you got out of my body and remember who you are."

"Wh-what do y-you want?" Jessica squeaked shrilly, heart pounding nervously inside her chest. "I'm me! This isn't your body!"

"Yes, it is!" the woman said evenly, blue eyes burning like sapphires in the darkness. "I believe I made myself clear: leave my body!"

"Who are you?!" the girl shrieked, heart palpitating from the fright. "Why do you think this is your body?!"

"Oh, right, let me introduce myself," the doppelganger nastily chuckled, making the real girl turn pale. "My name is Jessie. The real one of us. Pleasure to meet you. Now, get out of my head and SCRAM!"

Something began to rise inside of Jessica because of the hostility.

A white-hot flame that began searing the inside of her stomach before coursing through their veins with fervent potency. The girl's hands began to tremble, rattling the sidebars of her bed as the feeling spread: she could feel all of her muscles tensing up, stretching and straining as her adrenaline began to flow freely. It was pure rage, and it consumed every vestige of her being.

The doppelganger could apparently feel her anger, and she took a step away from Jessica's bedside.

"Shut your mouth!" the redhead hissed, throwing out the words as though she were spitting acid. "I don't owe you anything, so just go away! If what you said is true and you really are me, I don't want you! You're mean! DO YOU HEAR ME?! I DON'T KNOW YOU!"

"So, this is how it's going to be?" the woman asked plainly, flickering like an old movie. "You're going to forget everything?"

"You don't scare me," the girl asserted sharply. "If this is really your body, and I'm you now, that's how it's going to stay since I am you! Er... right?"

Jessie stood dumbfounded when Jessica glared: even now, looking so angry, the real girl's eyes remained soft and innocently round.

She lacked the darkness that had made her who she was.

The doppelganger suddenly cracked like a pane of broken glass and slowly started fading away, never taking her indigo eyes off of the redhead.

Jessica took a deep breath and closed her eyes for a moment, trying to calm herself down.

When she opened them again, her eyes were full of tears and the woman named Jessie was gone; vanished into thin air as though she'd never been present in the first place. The redhead slowly lowered herself down on her back, sighing heavily in relief as her back hit the sheets. She took a few deep breaths, trying to get herself comfortable while choking back the pain.

As she lay amidst the pervading darkness, she began to wonder how the woman had been able to appear before her so vividly.

Before she could ruminate on the subject much further, she was startled by the sound of footsteps approaching from down the hall. They were drawing closer to her room: each step grew a louder than the one which preceded it, until the clattering noise stopped just outside her doorway. The door opened and the florescent overhead lights snapped on, temporarily blinding the girl—whose eyes had not been prepared to make such a radical adjustment to the light.

"Is everything okay in here?" a female voice exclaimed, concern and sincerity present in her tone. "Do you need me to get a doctor? I could hear you shouting all the way down the hall!"

Jessica brought her hands up to her eyes and rubbed them roughly to assuage the shock they had endured. When she slowly opened them, she squinted and blinked until they adjusted to the light. However, she cocked her head when she heard a startled gasp: before her was another girl with red hair... only hers was carrot red, and her freckled face was much different than Jessie's own ivory complexion.

The girl's hair was hanging loosely around her shoulders, and she was wearing a yellow cut-off tank top over a pair of cute-looking overall shorts.

"No way," she whispered, staring straight at Jessica in angry horror; she instantly took on a ready stance and grabbed one of her Poke balls. "What are you doing here?! Up to no good all over again, and mocking being sick while you're at it?! I didn't think you'd actually stoop so low!"

"W-what are you talking about?!" Jessica all but squeaked, locking up when the girl threw the Poke ball and a star-shaped creature exploded out of it with a flash of red light; the rose-haired girl twitched and covered her eyes, then glanced at the other redhead with horror on her face. "W-w-what are you doing?!"

"Acting won't work this time, Team Rocket!" the girl shouted, taking on a battle stance. "Choose one of your Pokemon already, you ugly hag! I already know it's you!"

Jessica twitched at being called an 'ugly hag' and her eyes filled with startled tears.

"I'm not an ugly hag!" Jessica stammered, eyes widening in horrified outrage; the redheaded girl in front of her instantly paused, staring at her face in wary confusion. "I'm not an ugly hag! You're a horrible person! I'm not ugly! I'm not ugly! Take it back!"

"What's wrong with you?!" the other girl snapped; she looked uncertain and was slowly straightening out of her fighting stance. "Aren't you going to battle?"

"I can't even move, so how could I possibly fight?!" Jessica bawled, crying like a little girl and turning her face away. "If you didn't come to visit, go away! I'm not ugly!"

"Who are you?" the girl standing in Jessica's doorway bluntly demanded, calling her Pokemon back with a stunned expression. "You're not acting anything like Jessie."

"Huh?" the redhead asked, looking at her with a startled expression. "Wait... do you know me?"

"What do you mean?!" the girl demanded, looking a little angry all over again. "Don't tell me you've already forgotten who I am! It hasn't been that long!"

"Who are you?" Jessica whispered, not understanding why the other redhead's face turned purple with anger. "Why are you so angry?"

"My name is Misty, you moron!" the girl snapped, stomping her foot; then she blinked in surprise and touched her silken hair. "Oh, right... I forgot."

After grabbing the tie resting on her wrist, Misty expertly pulled her hair up and tied it into a lazy side-ponytail.

"Recognize me now?" she deadpanned, glancing at Jessica with furrowed brows. "Are you Jessie or not? Aren't you part of Team Rocket?"

"What's Team Rocket?" the girl confusedly inquired, making Misty's jaw drop.

"Weird," the younger girl murmured, shaking her head; then a voice called her from down the hall and she poked her head back out. "I'll be there in a minute, Sis! I found an old... ugh, friend... in one of the rooms. I'm gonna visit for a bit."

With that, she closed the door and cautiously headed inside the dark room: Jessica blinked like an owl when Misty sat down in the chair Professor Oak had used.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, looking at the rose-haired teen with a suspicious expression. "I can't bring myself to believe you just yet."

"I don't know," Jessica stated honestly, touching her head with furrowed brows; tendrils of her extremely long hair slid over her hands when she sighed. "The doctor said I was in an accident, but nobody will tell me what's going on. I don't remember anything... it's all blank."

"Okaaaay," Misty muttered, quirking an eyebrow, "then, if that's the case, why were you screaming?"

"Um… I just had a really bad nightmare, that's all…" Jessica stammered, trying to sound as honest and docile as possible; however, she didn't like the sensation her untruthful words gave her, and it made her face go awry. "I... I had a nightmare, that's all."

"A nightmare," Misty repeated slowly. "You were screaming... because of a nightmare?"

Almost immediately, her mouth quirked and she snickered a little bit, puzzling the other redhead.

"What's so funny?" Jessica asked, frowning in confusion; Misty kept smiling and rested her chin on her on hand for a moment, cerulean eyes softening for the first time as she relaxed. She sized the injured girl up and down for a moment before nodding in content. "Um... why are you laughing and staring at me?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Misty replied demurely, giving her an amused flap of her hand. "It's just that… well, you're actually horrible at lying, which is something I wouldn't have expected from you. Plus, a nightmare? Really? If you've really lost your memories, every moment has to feel like a nightmare."

"Oh," Jessica sighed, realizing that the other girl actually had a sense of humor. "Well, it's not as bad as I thought it'd be. Everyone's been really nice."

"Well... hopefully you'll stay this way," Misty muttered, countenance turning a bit grim. "I like you a lot better like this. If you'd acted this way from the start, I think we might have actually been good friends, you know."

"Huh?" the scarlet-haired maiden asked, blinking when Misty stood up and turned to leave the room. "Wait, please! You told me your name, but who are you to me?"

The girl walked to the door and opened it before glancing over her shoulder at Jessica.

"I'm the leader of the Cerulean Gym," the girl replied with a faint smile, "but until you prove this isn't an act... you and I are mortal enemies."

With that, Misty turned around and left the hospital room, leaving behind a terrified girl who had no idea what was going on.


	4. Chapter 3: Home Sweet Home

**Home Sweet Home**

Jessica stood in place with solemn indigo eyes as she examined herself in the bathroom mirror.

She'd just finished donning the dress that Professor Oak had given to her.

Apparently, her old clothes had been destroyed in the unnamed accident.

It had already been two and a half weeks since she'd awoken with no memories, but still... nobody had told her a single thing about her past. Misty had also come to visit her several times, and while she'd babbled about how annoying her elder sisters could be and constantly complained about the latest challenges at her gym, she'd always gone quiet whenever Jessica asked about who she used to be.

Somehow... the redhead had a weird feeling that everyone was purposely keeping her in the dark.

Shaking her head, the girl sighed and straightened the sandals she'd been given, long hair sliding over her shoulders and brushing against the ground. She was officially going to be leaving the hospital that afternoon since her injuries had healed well enough for her to walk.

All she really had to do was wait for Professor Oak to return, so now she was simply staring at her reflection.

After the first week, she had been shocked to discover that people weren't born with crimson hair: according to her doctor, her hair had been artificially colored to look that way. It had slowly changed back to its natural color during the time she'd spent in the hospital, lightening from it's former rose hue to a much lighter, more natural looking shade of auburn.

She had been alarmed at first, but Dr. Kesslov had pointedly reassured her that almost everyone in the world dyed their hair to spark a sense of unique individuality. Hairstyles were also used by some as a way of expressing personalities. Basically, her hair was slowly returning to its natural state: there was apparently nothing to worry about.

A thin bandage was taped across her forehead and the wound on her back ached whenever she moved the wrong way, but Jessica was almost back on her feet. When she finally exited the bathroom, though, she sighed and hung her head: she had been trying to see something that might have sparked a memory of who she really was, but all she'd seen was a sad, lonely, and utterly confused teenage girl wearing clothes that didn't belong to her. The outfit was pretty, though... she couldn't deny that much.

Jessica was currently dressed in a white button-up t-shirt and a black, sleeveless dress that had buttons extending down the front of the blouse: according to her doctor, who'd examined the outfit once she'd put it on the previous afternoon, it closely resembled an expensive high school uniform. Why she'd been given a dress that looked school-related, Jessica didn't know.

Nor did she want to.

Professor Oak had come again earlier that morning and gone through the rules she would have to follow if she was going to stay with Delia. First off, the woman was a very gentle person, and Jessica would have to do whatever she asked. Second off, she would need to follow all of the rules that Delia laid out, and if she did so... they would see about getting her a Pokemon license. And lastly... her son was going to be returning home within another week to meet Jessica in person. The man had stressed about this: no matter what happened... she would need to do as her new brother asked and deal with him in good nature.

She had been given a warning that the boy might possibly be difficult and very bad-tempered at first.

However, when it came time for her to leave... she felt an odd chill and hesitantly looked around at the people sitting in the hospital. Doctors were watching her with worried eyes and several patients were glaring as she slinked down the hallway towards the admittance area.

_Why is everyone looking at me like that?_ the girl wondered, swallowing as goosebumps rose on her arms. _Why do they look so angry?_

By the time she arrived, her face was pale and utterly devoid of expression.

Professor Oak was already waiting for her, greying brown hair looking much messier than usual.

"People were glaring at me," the redhead stated in a shaken tone, staring straight ahead once she was standing next to him; however, the man frowned when he noticed that she was shivering violently. "Almost everyone I passed on the way out of here was glaring... it scared me."

"Don't worry, Jessica," the man croaked, giving a soft smile. "You're going to be just fine, trust me."

"I hope so," the redhead mumbled, walking out the doors and sliding onto the back of the bike he'd brought. "I really do hope so."

She closed her shimmering indigo eyes when Professor Oak hopped onto the vehicle: with several grunts, the man pushed off and Jessica clamped down on him in alarm. Soon after, they began to head away from Viridian City Hospital to Delia's home in Pallet Town.

Sadly, all she had to her name was a small backpack that held only a few things: two sets of clothes and some bathroom things.

Even more depressing was the fact that, aside from the wind rushing through Jessie's clothes, the bike ride was uncomfortably silent. The redhead kept her cheek pressed against the old man's back and solemnly stared at the ground as it passed, holding her long hair on her lap to keep it from getting caught in the tires or something. It was a windy autumn afternoon, so the air was chilly, but when they entered the forest she felt a shiver run down her spine.

The girl glanced up when she saw odd-looking creatures crawling along the trees and fluttering around in the air.

"What are those?" Jessica asked, making the old man look up. "Up in the trees, I mean."

"Those are Bug Pokemon," the professor explained, panting as he pedaled the two-seated bike. "They inhabit the Viridian Forest as well as a vast majority of the Kanto region, as far as I am aware. There are many different types, including poison and grass."

"Really?" Jessica asked, eyes widening in childish wonder; she instantly glanced at the Bug Pokemon they were passing. "Wow..."

"You should already know that," Professor Oak sighed, making her wince. "You shouldn't have forgotten so many things... it's a hassle."

"I'm sorry," Jessica mumbled, face falling in dismay; she didn't even know what she'd done, but the apology was instinctive. "I'll try to remember, I promise."

"No, no, that's quite alright," the man hastily retorted, rapidly turning pale; he turned down a woodsy path before letting out a sigh. "Don't stress yourself."

Jessica merely stared off into space with a depressed expression until they were close to Pallet Town.

It was a long ride, but Jessica was blessed since her new guardian had already gotten her living quarters prepared.

"We're here," Professor Oak finally muttered, pedaling up a large hill before stopping in front of a building with a laboratory sign above it. "I'm going to run into the lab for a moment. Wait right here and don't go anywhere."

"Yes, sir," Jessica sighed, shivering when the man hopped off the bike and hurried inside. "Please, take your time."

When he was gone, the girl slowly turned her head and looked out over the hill: after the girl had taken note of what her new home looked like, she found that she actually rather like how quaint and woodsy it looked. Pallet town was surrounded by trees of every color imaginable, and at the very edge of the southernmost fields, there was a beautifully clear lake that shone with prismatic colors.

_I guess that's why they call it Pallet Town,_ the girl vaguely realized, blinking in surprise. _It's like an artist's pallet... it has every color imaginable._

Just as she was about to start daydreaming, something was plopped on top of her and she jumped: lifting her hands, she realized with a startled expression that someone had dropped a sunhat right on her head from behind. Professor Oak was nodding when she realized it was him who'd put this piece of clothing on her: she instantly blinked at him in confusion.

"Just as I thought," he muttered in a pleasant tone. "It suits you perfectly."

"Thank you?" Jessica proffered, watching as he slid back onto the bike and started peddling away from the lab and out into the field.

He didn't answer, nor did he respond to anything she said afterwards... in fact, he seemed rather on edge until they stopped in front of a beautiful yellow house with white trim. Jessica gasped upon seeing it, because it had a gorgeous flower garden resting where a front lawn should have been. All around were fields dotted by sparse multicolored trees, but around the house was a small grove of dark green Ash trees that gave the redhead a small semblance of comfort once she'd entered them.

"Wow!" Jessica whispered, gawking at the flowers in amazement. "They're so beautiful!"

"We're here," Professor Oak muttered, turning and giving her a firm expression. "Remember what I told you, all right? Apparently, there's been a change of plans... your new brother, Ash, is going to be coming here tonight instead of next week. He's already on his way."

"I hope he likes me," Jessica stated earnestly, eyes lighting up with a nervous amount hope. "I'll do my very best to be a good sister, I promise!"

Something in the man's eyes shifted and he narrowed them, seeming to be truly confused by something.

"You really have lost your memories, haven't you?" he asked in a puzzled tone. "Jessica... you and Ash... I don't think..."

"What?" the girl curiously asked, cocking her head to the side with an innocent blink. "What is it?"

The man's expression faltered and he sighed, averting his eyes.

"Nothing," he mumbled, giving her a nod. "Just remember: be on your best behavior and do whatever you're asked to do. I have to go, so I wish you luck."

The girl nodded and stepped off the bike, dusting her skirt off before letting go of her hair.

She waved when Professor Oak turned around and started heading back down the dirt path, waved until he was gone and out of sight.

Then her hand fell and she merely stood in place, not really knowing what she was supposed to do.

She slowly lifted her bag with worry glimmering in her indigo irises: Jessica was just about to start walking around when she felt a tap on her shoulder, which made her spin around. Standing before her was a creature with white and red and pink skin... a creature with weird-looking appendages sticking out of its head... a creature that was blinking at her and holding a broom.

"W-w-whoa!" Jessica stammered, stepping back in surprise. "What are you? A human?"

"Mr. Mime?" the creature squeaked, cocking its head before lifting a hand and flailing the broom; it's eyes had gone from being curious to something much more frantic. "Mime! Mime! Mime! Mr. Mime!"

Jessie squeaked and leapt backwards when it swung the broom at her, eyes widening with horror.

The creature was hefting the broom up and down... but for some reason, it was staring at her with furious eyes.

"G-go away!" she squeaked, looking around for somewhere to run. "Um... please?!"

"Mime! Mime! Mime!" the creature squealed. "MIME!"

Jessica yelped when the broom was swung again, but when she tried to run away, she smacked face first into an object she couldn't see.

"Ow!" the girl wailed, clutching her nose as she hit the ground on her butt; her back instantly seared. "OOOOOWW! Ow, ow, ow! Stop it! Please!"

The girl tried to crawl in another direction, but she flinched when she crashed against another unseen wall: two more attempts yielded the same result, and the girl went into a fit of hysteria when she realized she was trapped. Shaking violently, the girl began to cry and buried her face in her knees, covering her ears with both hands as the creature hit her with the end of the broom.

She was simply glad it was the end meant for sweeping and not the bar.

"Mimey, what on earth are you doing?!" a female voice gasped, making Jessie twitch; the assault instantly stopped, but the girl didn't dare to glance up until she was sure the battering was over. When she finally looked up, the creature was clutching the apron of a young woman with long brown hair that had been tied into a ponytail: it was jumping up and down and pointing at her in a frantic manner. "Mimey, be nice! She's our new resident!"

The Pokemon instantly halted and looked at her in confusion.

"Mime?" it asked, cocking its head. "Mr. Mime?"

"Be nice!" the woman kindly scolded, smiling when the creature shuffled its foot in the dirt. "She's a friend!"

Jessica frantically rubbed her eyes when the woman approached, but before she could get to her feet, a hand was being held in front of her eyes. The redhead hesitantly looked at it before she allowed the woman to help her up. For several moments, Jessica refused to meet the woman's gaze... but then, after swallowing her fear, the girl looked up and found herself staring into the warmest brown eyes she'd ever seen.

"I... I'm okay," Jessica stammered awkwardly, averting her eyes with a flush; she anxiously shifted her weight and clasped her hands to keep them from shaking, even though she didn't know why she was nervous. "I... I'm sure it was a misunderstanding or something... I... I'm fine."

"I'm glad you've forgiven him," the woman sighed, gently brushing a patch of dust off her shoulder. "He's normally a rather friendly Pokemon, so I really don't know what got into him. I'm so sorry that he made such an awful first impression on you. Anyway, as I'm sure you've already gathered, I'm your new mother, Delia Ketch'um. It's a pleasure to meet you, Jessica."

"U-um, same goes for me," the girl stammered, bowing her head so low that her hair brushed against the dirt. "Thank you for t-taking me in."

"Well, don't just stand there, silly!" the woman laughed, startling Jessie into standing up; the woman was already heading inside. "Come inside and take a look at your new room! It used to be my son's room, but since he's out traveling and seeing the world, I don't think he'll mind too much."

Jessica hefted her bag and hesitantly made her way inside the house.

However, upon entering, the girl felt an odd sense of welcome upon doing so and slowed down a little in surprise.

The kitchen she'd just entered was small, but very family-friendl.

Sunflower yellow tiles covered all of the kitchen counters and red linoleum decorated the floors, but in the very center was a wooden table large enough to seat eight people. She found the decor to her liking and smiled since it gave off a very cozy sensation. However, she quickly followed Delia into the hall and made her way over to where the woman stopped: when the brunette turned and held her hand out with a motherly smile, Jessica peered around the corner and gasped in absolute surprise.

In front of her was a room that had been outfitted to look like every teenage girl's wildest dream: the walls were a gentle blue, and the colors in the room matched, but taped on the walls were the most up to date male idols as well as several beautiful paintings. On top of having her own bed, she also had a desk with a computer on one side of the room, and several stuffed Pokemon were resting in her closet.

"Do you like it?" Delia hesitantly asked, making the redhead gawk at her. "I... didn't know if the style would be suited for you, but..."

"This is more than I could have ever asked for!" Jessie instantly exclaimed, looking at the room with adoring eyes. "Thank you so much, Mrs. Ketch'um!"

"I'm glad," the woman giggled, happily covering her mouth. "Anyway, there are some clean pajamas in there for you, so feel free to change after you shower."

"Wait... you bought me new clothes?" Jessica exclaimed, eyes widening. "Um... thank you, but are you sure it's okay?"

"Of course I am!" Delia replied brightly. "You don't have to worry about such complicated matters yet, Jessica: you're a growing girl, and what you need the most right now is some proper care. I will _not_ have you sleeping on the streets, and since nobody can find your mother, I'm stepping up to the task of taking you in! This is your home from today onward, so make yourself comfortable. I have to start making supper, so you should unpack and get settled in. Also, I was told that some of your injuries haven't fully healed yet, so... just relax and take it easy for the next few weeks."

"Well, o-okay," Jessica stammered, and with that, the woman was gone with a happy hum, seeming to be in high spirits. "She's so cheerful."

However, when the girl glanced at her new room, a sudden and unexpectedly swift pang of guilt struck deep into her heart. She immediately frowned, looking down at the ground with an unhappy expression: she had no idea why, but the sight of this room had reawakened something painful inside her. Something that said she didn't deserve any of this.

Feeling solemn and upset, Jessica turned into the room and closed the door before putting her things away.

_It's a really nice room,_ the girl thought to herself, frowning as she grabbed a plain white dress, _but why do I feel like I don't deserve it?_

Unhappily, the girl grabbed a towel before heading off to the bathroom. Once she was clean, dressed, and her glossy auburn hair had been fully brushed out, Jessica cautiously padded out of the bathroom and made her way down the hall that Delia had gone. However, just as she was about to open the door, she heard voices on the other side of it and stopped: Delia was speaking with someone in a very hushed tone.

"Oh, be nice! She seems like a genuinely sweet girl," Delia sighed, voice muffled by the walls. "I know we'll have to tell her sooner or later, but for now, we should just let her relax and enjoy being a teenager! Plus, you know how much I've always wanted a daughter, Professor! There's no need to worry about a thing. As far as I see it, I have two children from today onwards."

"_Let's wait until we know if her memories will come back to say that_," Professor Oak's voice retorted sharply, making Jessica twitch. "_We still have to keep an eye out for those shady people she was always hanging around with, so stay on your guard! If she can go an entire month without having a memory relapse or doing something to reveal whatever trick this is, I'll agree with your decision to be her mother. Okay?"_

"Professor, I'm starting to think that you and Ash are over exaggerating things a little," Delia giggled, voice a little bit quieter. "She really does seem like a sweetheart. Even her eyes told me as much: mothers are supposed to be able to pick good people apart from the bad ones in order to protect their children. Regardless of who she used to be or what she's done in the past... this new Jessica has the eyes of a regular child, Professor. Not the eyes of a criminal."

Jessica's heart froze and she stared off into space, throat locking up in horror.

_C... criminal?_ she wondered, covering her mouth with both hands. _No... that can't be right! I couldn't have been a criminal! I'm not a bad person, am I?!_

Trembling, the girl hunched down and hastily whirled around, leaving the premisis since she didn't want to hear anymore. Not really having anything else to do, she slowly made her way to her new room and sat down on the edge of the bed, staring out the window with shaken eyes. She sat there for an extremely long time, not really knowing what to do: she was feeling completely alone, confused, and afraid.

_It doesn't matter who I used to be,_ she thought silently, indigo eyes sad. _Even if I was a criminal, I'm not that person anymore! I'm going to be good!_

Still, Jessica sat there until the sun sank below the horizon, face buried in her knees until she heard a knock on her door.

"Jessica, dinner's almost ready!" Delia happily crooned, dusting off her apron. "Could you come and help me set the table?"

The redhead instantly stood up and eagerly left her new room.

"What do you need me to do?" she asked, biting her lip with an earnest expression. "I've never done this before."

"The plates are in the cabinet above the dishwasher," Delia explained, humming as she puttered back and forth between the oven and the stove. "The silverware is in the drawer beside the refrigerator. All you need to do is set five plates on the table, complete with a spoon, knife, and fork."

"Okay!" Jessica exclaimed, then hurried to do as she was asked; however, after a moment, she paused. "Huh? Um... Mrs. Ketch'um, why are we setting out five plates? Aren't there only two of us here?"

"Oh, that's right, I forgot to tell you," the brunette giggled, glancing at her with gleeful brown eyes. "Your new little brother, Ash, is coming home tonight! When he heard that I had decided to take you in and adopt you, he couldn't wait to come see for himself! He and his two friends are going to be eating dinner with us tonight! I think it'll be a good bonding experience for you two!"

"Do you really think he'll like me?" Jessie asked, glancing at her with nervous eyes.

"Oh, silly, of course he'll like you!" Delia soothed, flapping a dismissive hand as she stirred the pot of food in her hands. "Ash is a very loving boy. He's loyal, strong, and just like his father with that boundless determination. When he turned eleven and decided to become a Pokemon Trainer, I knew there would be no stopping him since he'd never give up, even if I told him to stay home. I couldn't do anything but send him off with everything he needed, because that's the path he decided to follow for his future."

"He sounds like a strong person," Jessie murmured, eyes beginning to shine with admiration, "but wasn't it hard for you when he left?"

"Oh, of course it was!" Delia giggled, shaking her head before a frown graced her expression. "We've had quite a few scares over the years, too... in fact, around two years ago, Ash got himself wrapped up in some sort of geological change that originated in the Orange Islands, and he ended up almost losing his life. It was so dangerous... my boy could have been killed. Then, only last year, I was kidnapped by an Entei and... well, lots of fearful things happened. These days, though, Ash is starting to become more and more like his father... and I'm worried that he'll end up going missing one day, just like his dad."

Jessica's fingers halted and she blinked in confusion; then her eyes widened and she glanced at Delia in shock.

"Mr. Ketch'um went missing?" the redhead asked, mouth falling open when the woman sighed and nodded. "W-what happened?! How?!"

"I don't know," the woman murmured, placing a top on the pot full of stew. "I haven't been able to contact him in almost thirteen years now."

"Mrs. Ketch'um, I'm so sorry," Jessica whispered, biting her lip. "I'm sure he's probably doing something so important that it requires a lot of secrecy! Maybe he's researching something on a faraway island, or maybe he's become such a strong trainer that he's started working for the government! You never know! I heard one of the doctors saying that some jobs don't allow any form of communication until the task has been completed!"

"You think?" Delia asked, brightening up a bit. "Do you really think he might be doing something amazing like that?"

"Of course!" Jessica confirmed, nodding with a firm expression. "If Ash is just like him, I'm sure your husband is doing something wonderful!"

However, before anything else could be said, the doorbell rang and Delia's honey brown eyes lit up in delight.

"That must be Ash and his friends!" the woman gushed, pulling her oven mitts on before opening the stove and pulling out a tray of cornbread. "Jessica, dear, could you please go and get the door? I have to finish getting dinner ready, and Mimey is sweeping the road out back like he always is."

"Y-yes, of course!" the redhead exclaimed, grinning widely before hurrying over to the front entrance; the doorbell rang three more times. "I'm coming!"

Gripping the knob, Jessica turned it and opened the door before stepping back and staring at the three people now standing in front of her.

The person on the left was a huge young man with broad shoulders, tan skin, and dark hair that had been spiked in a precise jagged manner; the person on the right was an extremely beautiful girl with dyed sapphire blue hair, large blue eyes, a willowy build, and soft lips. Then there was the boy standing between them... a boy with a worn white and red cap, a simple pair of blue jeans, black leather gloves, natural black hair, and gentle brown eyes. On his shoulder was an adorable yellow Pokemon that bristled when she blinked at it in utter delight.

"Y-you must be Ash," Jessica happily stammered, swallowing her anxiety and extending her shaking hand; the boy's gentle eyes sharpened into an extremely hostile glare, but before he could even open his mouth, the boy standing beside him gripped his shoulders and pushed him inside. Jessie stepped aside and hunched her shoulders to let them squeeze past, but before she could so much as blink, the blue-haired girl gripped her arm. "Ow! Um... miss, that hurts."

"We're watching you, Rocket," the girl stated in a low tone, eyes narrowing into a threatening expression. "We don't know what you're up to, but we'll figure it out sooner or later. You're not going to get Pikachu, so if you're acting, you'd better keep it up until we leave again."

After she finished speaking, her grip tightened and her eyes sharpened, but she frowned when Jessica's face merely turned pale.

The redhead had honestly been stricken with fright at the threatening statements.

"U-um..." Jessica squeaked, shakily lifting a hand despite her hammering heart. "D-dinner's almost... ready..."

The blue-haired girl merely removed her hand and wiped it off on her shirt with a forced expression of disgust before stalking after the two boys. Jessica slowly slid to the ground and shivered, but her throat tightened when she heard a mostly one-sided argument taking place between one of the boys and Delia in the kitchen. She didn't need to hear his accusations to know that Ash didn't want to have anything to do with her now: the look on his face and the threat from his friend had been enough.

When Delia told him that she'd given his old room to Jessica and moved his things to the guest room, the sound of his angry shouting made her wince. It continued for a long time, but through it all, she heard nothing but horrible 'what if' situations being talked about.

She eventually covered her ears and curled up into a ball to avoid the sound of her new brother's hostility, but the things she'd already heard remained, making her feel like a horrible person. She could tell by the way he was shouting that he really believe she was horrible enough to do the things he was imagining. It made her feel sick inside, and it also made her wonder just how bad of a person she used to be.

Jessie waited in the hall until the arguing ceased, then stood back up and headed into the kitchen.

Two pairs of eyes glared at her when she walked into the room, but Delia smiled and waved her to the empty seat.

"Come on in, Jessica!" the woman exclaimed, beaming at the depressed girl. "Sorry about that! We had a bit of an argument, but it's been settled. Take a seat and I'll get your plate ready."

Jessica forced a smile that didn't really touch her eyes, then looked off to the side with a hard lump in her throat.

"That's okay," she whispered, unable to make her voice go any louder for some reason. "I... I-I don't think I'm really all that hungry. I'll just..."

"You need to eat for your injuries to heal," Delia stated sternly, giving her a worried expression. "If you don't keep your strength up, you won't get better."

The redhead swallowed, but closed her eyes and gave up.

"Okay," Jessica croaked, shakily sitting down between the blue-haired girl and the dark-skinned boy. "Thank you."

There was a heavy silence when Delia stood up and made her way over to the stove: she happily filled a bowl with some stew, then cut some cornbread and set it in front of the girl before getting herself a bowl. Everyone gave thanks, with the redhead confusedly mimicking their movements, before they began to eat the meal that Mrs. Ketch'um had prepared.

"So, how are your travels going?" Delia finally asked, eagerly leaning forward after taking a bite. "Did you get any new Gym Badges?"

"Yeah, Mrs. Ketch'um!" the blue-haired girl, who'd been introduced as Dawn, exclaimed. "In fact, his last match was the most impressive!"

With that, all three travelers began to elaborate on the Pokemon they'd recently seen and caught.

Jessica, on the other hand, couldn't help but notice that the yellow Pokemon's adorably large eyes remained fixed on her the entire time.

The red spots on its cheeks also sparked intensely every time she moved her arms, and it had her feeling both confused and curious.

So, against her better judgement, the girl decided to ask a question.

"Excuse me?" Jessica asked, hooking a strand of hair behind her ear before she glanced at Ash. "What kind of... er, Pokemon is that? It's really cute, but it's cheeks keep glowing bright yellow, and every now and then, the red spots spark."

The room went dead quiet and Brock, the dark-skinned boy, frowned at her.

Feeling as though she were shrinking under their hostile glares, Jessica meekly huddled down and took a sip of her water.

"Just stop it and give up the act already!" Ash finally snapped, setting down his fork with a clatter. "We already know this isn't real!"

"W-what?!" Jessie choked, coughing on her water in surprise. "What do you mean?!"

"Ash," Brock said in a quiet, warning voice; Dawn merely checked her nails and sighed, looking uncomfortable. "We talked about this."

"I don't care!" the boy snapped, staring straight into Jessie's eyes. "I don't care if she lost her memories! She's the bad guy!"

"Ash!" Delia gasped.

"I'm not a bad person!" Jessie shouted, leaping to her feet and smacking the table with horrified eyes. "I'm not! I swear!"

However, before she could blink, the yellow Pokemon leapt on her chest and clung to her with little claws that made her pause.

When she glanced down with a startled blink, she saw two adorable brown eyes looking right at her.

"Pika..." the mousey creature squeaked, making Jessie's eyes soften; just as she lifted her arms, it screeched, "CHUUUUUUUU!"

The entire kitchen was suddenly filled with blinding yellow light.

Jessica screeched, arching her back as she was shocked to the point of electrocution.

The windows behind her were blasted clean out of the house, and everyone instantly ducked under the table to avoid getting hit by the blast. When it was over, Jessica's knees buckled and the creature leapt onto the table: Ash, Dawn, Brock, and Delia slowly sat up and looked at the girl sitting on the floor with bated breath, expecting her to get angry at the very least. However, when she lifted her head, everyone froze.

One sob filled the air... then another... and soon, Jessica was crying hysterically, shuddering violently and twitching all over.

"She... she's crying?" Ash stammered, looking stunned by the tears rolling down the redhead's face; similarly, both of his friends looked just as shocked by the sight of 'Jessie' sitting sprawled on the ground and crying her eyes out. "B-b-but... she shouldn't be crying! Where's all the 'prepare for trouble and make that double' mumbo jumbo?! Why isn't she...?"

"Ash Ketch'um!" Delia shouted, looking at her windows in horror before hurrying over to Jessica's side; she instantly parted the girl's hair and gasped, face draining of color. "Oh, dear... oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear! Brock, please do me a favor and call for a doctor!"

"A... a doctor?!" the dark-skinned boy squeaked, sounding completely baffled. "Well, okay, but... was she really hurt that badly?!"

"Her stitches broke open," Delia sighed, gently cutting the back of the crying girl's dress open and carefully pinching the wound closed before pressing a rag against it. Three faces simultaneously paled, and Brock immediately did as he was asked. "Dawn, please grab me some antiseptic from the bathroom."

The girl instantly got up and hurried off.

"W-what should I do?" Ash asked, biting his lip when Jessie continued crying; Pikachu looked completely confused. "Mom?"

For a moment, Delia looked at him with solemn eyes.

"I think you've done enough, Dear," she stated softly, then proceeded to wait for the doctor to arrive. "You're grounded for a week."


	5. Chapter 4: Sorrow

**Sorrow**

Ash was frustrated... and it was a feeling that only continued to grow as more time passed.

Four days of his punishment had come and gone and Jessica's wounds had long since been tended to... but for some reason, an odd heaviness had settled over the Ketch'um family home. In truth, it was mostly because the redhead hadn't left her room ever since she'd been shocked by Pikachu. Nobody had seen head or tail of her during meal times, but it was obvious that she was eating since the trays Delia worriedly left outside her door were always empty about an hour later.

However, one well-acted fit of crocodile tears wasn't exactly enough to erase everything that Team Rocket had done to Ash and his friends.

Not only was the boy suspicious of the redhead's intentions, he also had a very weird feeling that his mother was upset with him over it.

That's why it had finally gotten to the point where he couldn't take the frustration anymore.

"I just don't get it," the black-haired boy snapped on the fifth evening, angrily pacing back and forth in the guest room while Dawn and Brock sleepily watched him vent. "Team Rocket should have given up the gig by now, and since they haven't, there must be something deeper going on here! Plus, where are James and Meowth? It's not natural for them to _not_ be together! Even if they _are_ the nastiest people on earth, they've never been apart for this long!"

"Ash," Brock groaned, watching the boy's frantic pacing with a frown. "Don't you think you should calm down for the night?"

"How can I calm down when my worst enemy is sleeping in my mother's house?!" the boy squealed back, covering his face with shaking hands. "How can I calm down when my Mom thinks _I'm_ the bad guy because of what happened?! I mean, Pikachu only shocked Jessie like he always does whenever Team Rocket shows up! She shouldn't have... I mean, she was always the one who... who... oh, forget it! I just don't understand! Why did she start crying?! Why did she act like that?! It's not normal!"

"You know," Dawn finally murmured, tiredly putting her book on the nightstand, "maybe this _isn't_ an act: maybe Jessie really did lose her memories and now she doesn't even know who she is."

For a long moment, the boy stopped pacing and merely stared at her blankly.

"How could that have happened?" Ash retorted, slowly turning to stare at her. "Don't tell me you really think that someone like Jessie could be clumsy enough to get herself into an accident that wiped all of her memories. If that were the case, I would relax, but she's too smart to allow something like that to ever really happen! There's no way I'm going to believe she lost her memories!"

"Ash, look at the facts," the blue-haired girl cautiously explained, closing her sapphire eyes. "She's not acting like the Jessie we know... and even something about her eyes looks different. I mean, honestly, even if she _was_ acting... do you really think the old Jessie would ever let herself cry in front of someone else?"

That stopped Ash in his tracks and he frowned, thinking back to all the times he'd encountered the redhead in the past.

Even Misty, one of his oldest friends, had once told him after winning a doll contest that Jessie was way too proud to cry in front of anyone else.

"No way," Ash muttered, shuddering at the thought. "She'd never let herself cry: that's why I was so shocked by it."

"Ash," Brock sighed, shaking his head, "maybe we should just see where things go and wing it for a while. We could stick around for a few more weeks and keep an eye on her if you're really that worried, and who knows? This would be a good opportunity for me to visit my family back in Pewter City. All in all, it could be that the new Jessie really isn't all that bad, you know?"

"Brock, are you serious?!" Ash scoffed, looking at him with a helpless expression. "The idea of Jessie living in my mother's house terrifies me!"

"Regardless, you've been pacing for hours, and all of us are tired," the older of the two boys pointed out. "I know you want your Mom to listen to you, but the circumstances concerning Jessie's missing memories aren't the greatest. I mean, think of it from_ her_ point of view: if she really did lose her memories, she's starting out completely fresh and her personality is a clean slate."

"That doesn't mean she's truly innocent," Ash countered. "You should know that better than anyone, Brock!"

"True," the elder youth conceded, then grimly added, "but if she really is innocent, it would probably mean she's suffering from the knowledge that she used to be a criminal. And in this instance, it would also mean that _we_ were the bad guys this time. Not Jessie."

There was a long, morbid silence after those words left his mouth.

"What we need to do is apologize to her," Dawn finally muttered, scratching her head in dismay. "I never thought I'd have to say it to Team Rocket, but it's true."

"Are you nuts?!" Ash shouted, mouth falling open in horrified dismay. "Apologize?! To Team Rocket?! No way! She... she's the enemy! Even with no memories, I can't accept this!"

"True, but then again, she was defenseless without a Pokemon and Pikachu severely hurt her: it doesn't matter whether or not she's the enemy," Dawn stated softly, looking up at him with serious eyes. "She was crying, Ash... and we were the ones who made her cry. The right thing to do would be apologizing to her. Now, can we go to bed, please? It's almost three in the morning and I'm tired."

"Fine," Ash stated quietly, letting out a deflated sigh before he climbed into his own bunk. "Sorry for keeping you guys up so long."

"Don't worry about it," Dawn yawned, curling up and switching her bunk bed's lamp off. "We'll just have to rest up as much as possible."

"Yeah, and I don't really blame you," Brock croaked, rolling over on his side. "Having a Rocket living in my house would scare me, too."

The boy stared at his friends for a long time, watching as their breathing slowly became rhythmic and they fell asleep. Pikachu soon hopped off the window sill and jumped onto the boy's mattress bunk, snuggling up beside him with a soft squeak of its name. Letting out a yawn of his own, the black-haired boy turned over on his side and closed his eyes.

However, thoughts began flitting through his mind, preventing him from doing so: he had been fretting over his mother's solemn demeanor so badly that he hadn't gotten much sleep lately. Even though Jessie was supposed to be the bad guy, and even though he'd fervently protested that Pikachu hadn't done anything wrong... he couldn't help but feel guilty.

In the end, enemy or not, he really _had_ hurt Jessie bad enough to make her cry.

_No matter what_, the boy glumly thought, letting out a dismayed huff of air, _I have to find out what Team Rocket's true motive is. Otherwise I won't be able to make a decent conversation with my Mom. In order for that to work, I have to act like I'm going to trust her. I'll approach her gently, I guess... and act like I'm her friend._

Ash immediately halted his train of thought when Pikachu's ears twitched: the Pokemon instantly growled, cheeks sparking. The teenager flew into an upright position when the sound of running water in the kitchen caught his attention.

_This has to be it!_ he anxiously thought, tossing his covers off. _Jessie's showing her true colors! It's almost three in the morning, so she shouldn't be up!_

The dark-haired boy grinned and held out his arm, letting Pikachu jump up to his shoulder; then he slowly made his way over to the open door and slid into the hall. He crept along the corridor towards his mother's kitchen, planning to catch Jessie red handed with whatever she was doing: after all, this was his chance to prove that he'd been in the right.

However, the moment he poked his head around the corner, his stomach clenched and his face paled.

Jessica was currently standing in front of the sink with a glass of water in her hand.

She was wearing a set of old pajamas that looked way too big for her small frame, and her long hair was somewhat disheveled. In reality, Ash had never seen what Jessie looked like without her mountains of makeup on, or even without her hair sprayed, so he was actually rather startled to discover that she was actually extremely pretty. As well as alarmingly young-looking... it was weird.

He'd always assumed she was older, but without her heeled boots, she was almost shorter than he was.

However, her eyes were different than he remembered... no longer were they sharp and squinty.

They were... well, strangely large and vulnerable.

Which only enhanced the fact that, right then, the redhead's indigo eyes looked like the pure reincarnation of sadness.

She wasn't crying or anything... just undeniably unhappy.

And the very fact that she looked so sad sent an unpleasant jolt through his stomach.

"Hey... um... Jessie?" the boy hesitantly asked, keeping his eyes locked on her face. "Why are you up so late?"

The redhead's dark blue eyes went blank with terror and she jerked away from him, causing her to drop the glass of water.

Ash jumped back when it shattered, then glanced at her in alarm: the girl's face had turned pale.

"I'm sorry," she squealed, looking panicked; hastily, she knelt down to retrieve the broken glass. "I didn't mean to..."

"H-hey," Ash stammered, watching with a startled expression. "You don't have to do that!"

"I... I'm sorry," the former criminal whispered, picking up the pieces with shaking hands. "I'll clean it up... just... don't shock me again, please..."

"I wouldn't ask Pikachu to shock you over something like this!" Ash squeaked, waving his hands with startled eyes. "Come on! It's sharp, so don't touch it!"

Right around that moment, the girl's expression twitched and she jerked her hand back.

"Ow," Jessica whined, turning her small palm upright and looking at her fingers when blood started welling up from them. "That really hurt..."

"Hey, d-did you just cut yourself?!" Ash gasped, stretching out his hand to touch her shoulder; almost instantaneously, the girl jerked away from him and fell against the counter, squeezing the front of her pajamas and staring at him with enormous eyes. Her expression reminded him of a Pokemon that had been caught in a trap. "H-huh? W-what's wrong?! Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I... I..." the girl stammered, then huddled down on herself and looked away. "I'm s-sorry..."

When he realized the answer behind her odd behavior, it made the boy's heart go numb.

Jessica was _afraid_ of him.

Ash let his hand drop and merely stared at the former criminal, brown eyes devoid of rational comprehension.

"You're... you're scared of me?" Ash asked, looking at her with an incredulous expression. "You can't be scared of me! It's not possible!"

"I-I... well, I..." Jessie stammered, lowering her frightened eyes and hiding them behind her hair; she hesitantly crawled back onto all fours and once again started picking up pieces of the broken glass. "I... I'm sorry... I'll clean this up right away."

When he tried to lean down and help, his fingers brushed against her arm and she jerked away with a whine.

It startled him more than he wanted to admit.

_She couldn't even stand... a single touch from my hand,_ Ash realized, suddenly feeling afraid without knowing why. _This girl... she's not Jessie! _

"Let me see your hand," Ash finally sighed, glancing at Pikachu's confused expression with an identical one. "If we don't treat it, you might get an infection."

"I'm fine, really," the girl mumbled, shivering violently. "I... I'm sure I'll be okay."

When she merely continued picking up the glass, Ash took the initiative and grabbed her wrist; the redhead immediately flinched and tried to pull away from him, but Ash's eyebrows suddenly furrowed when he noticed something... and soon, his brown eyes narrowed.

"Hey," Ash muttered, voice coming out so low that Jessica shivered; when he lifted his hand and tried to touch her face, she jerked away from him, but instead of hitting her or something, he pressed the back of his hand against her forehead. His eyes instantly widened and his mouth fell open in surprise. "No way! You have a fever! Like, a bad one! Why the heck did you get up if you were sick?! Go back to bed!"

"B... but the glass..." Jessie stammered, trembling in the face of his hostility. "I have to..."

"I'll take care of it!" the fourteen-year-old barked, dragging Jessie to her feet by one of her arms and pulling her down the hall; the girl swallowed when he pulled her down the hall and into her new bedroom. Then he let go and nudged her towards the bed; when she slid under the covers, Ash aggressively tucked her in and irritably stomped towards the door. "S-since you're sick, I... I'll bring you some medicine or something. Just lay down and rest!"

Jessica peered at him from where he'd pulled the covers up to her nose.

"Okay," she whispered, watching with large eyes as he bolted out of the room; he was gone not even five minutes before he came back with a thermometer, some ice, and a variety of medicine tablets. Pikachu growled and his cheeks started sparking when the boy stuck the thermometer in her mouth, but the Pokemon's reaction merely made Jessica huddle down under the blankets; she eyed the yellow Pokemon with a fearful countenance. "Y-you know, I... I'm really okay."

"What do you mean?" Ash demanded, glancing at her with a suspicious expression. "The thermometer says your temperature is almost 103.6!"

"Well, according to my old medical documents, I've always gotten fevers like this since my health is sort of frail," the redhead timidly admitted, not paying attention to how he twitched and stared at her in surprise. "I got to see all the records and everything. The papers had information about all the times I've ever been to the hospital, but apparently, ever since I was a little girl, I've gotten sick like this and needed to go in for treatment."

"Doesn't that just make things worse?! Does that mean you need a hospital right now?!" Ash squalled, looking thoroughly alarmed; before she could reply, he picked up one of the medicine tablets and eyed it fearfully. "Um, let's see... I-I I think this one will do the trick, but it says to take one of them each hour until your temperature starts to drop. Can you do that?"

"Yes," Jessica murmured, slowly sitting up and holding out her hand; he instantly dropped the pill into it. "Thank you."

She was just about to pop it into her mouth when he stopped her.

"Wait! Don't take it yet!" Ash unexpectedly squeaked, flailing his arms and making the girl jump in surprise. "J-just hold on for a second!"

Jessica jumped when he clumsily sprinted for the door a second time.

Pikachu leapt off his shoulder with a squeak when he ran out of the room, and the two of them stared at the door in confusion for what seemed like an eternity. However, when a muffled crash and the sound of glass shattering erupted in the kitchen, it nearly gave Jessica a heart attack: both she and the confused electric Pokemon stared at the door with large eyes, tension with each other momentarily forgotten. After a while, the girl started wondering what Ash was doing in order to be able to make such a racket.

Then there was silence, which made Jessie feel a bit unnerved.

She didn't notice that Delia was peeking into her room, or even that the woman was grinning in motherly amusement.

However, soon after that her head vanished, and Ash walked inside the room again only a minute later, holding a tray of food that he slid onto Jessie's lap. When the redhead stared at him, he waved a packet of pills around with an awkward expression; the girl glanced down at the food with uncomprehending blue eyes before looking back up at him. The boy rubbed the back of his neck and waved the pills again.

"Well, um, you can eat it if you want," he commanded, looking at her with nervous eyes. "It says you're not supposed to take these on an empty stomach."

When the girl simply looked at him, the boy sighed and turned to walk away.

"Thank you," Jessica murmured, making him halt and turn to look at her with a startled expression; she was staring at the food with the same expression he'd seen earlier in the kitchen. However, now she seemed to be struggling with the words she wanted to use in order to express herself to him. "Even though I can't remember who I used to be... or even why we didn't like each other... I have this feeling that... the last time someone took care of me when I was sick... was so long ago... that I wouldn't have even remembered how it felt unless this had happened. So, thank you, Ash. I... I appreciate it."

"Don't thank me!" Ash snapped, letting out a grumpy sigh. "I don't want it! Normally, Mom is the one who'd doing things like this, but since she's asleep, I couldn't just sit there! I really only did it because I don't want her to get mad at me!"

Jessica merely looked at him, but she couldn't help noticing that he was keeping his hands clasped to hide the fact that they were shaking. She glanced down at the oatmeal he'd made for her with unreadable blue eyes, looking at it for a very long moment. It had been given two spoonfuls of honey and a dash of brown sugar... as well as a small slice of butter.

Quite honestly, it looked and smelled extremely delicious.

"Thank you," Jessie murmured again, lifting the spoon and and stirring the food a little. "Even if you don't want my gratitude, you still have it."

When he glared, the girl closed her eyes and started eating the oatmeal.

Within eight minutes, it was gone, and the redhead looked sleepy.

Once the girl's hand had been bandaged up, Ash merely took this opportunity to stare at her: compared to how she used to be, she seemed a lot weaker as far as her emotional side was concerned. Perhaps that's why she'd worn so much make-up in the first place: her extremely pale skin and small stature made her look small and frail, and criminals usually wanted to leave a powerful impression.

"I'm gonna go back to bed now," Ash sighed, getting to his feet and rubbing his neck. "You get some rest now, okay?"

"Um..." Jessica hesitantly whispered, catching his attention, "Ash?"

"What is it?" he demanded, watching as she clamped up for a moment. "Spit it out already."

Her eyes suddenly became sad once again and she looked at the ceiling.

"I'm very sorry..." the girl mumbled, swallowing hard. "You know, about breaking the glass... and... um, yesterday."

"I don't know if I can forgive you just yet," Ash bitterly muttered, making her wince. "You were a really bad person and you did a lot of horrible things to me and my friends. I don't trust you, and as far as I'm concerned, I probably never will... but... but if I had just ignored the fact that you were sick, I'd be no better than the person you used to be."

With that, he irritably left the room, picking Pikachu up along the way.

The Pokemon's cheeks sparked and it growled before it was pulled out of sight.


	6. Chapter 5: Flight

**Flight****  
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Over the next few days, Ash hounded Jessie's trail like crazy.

No matter what she did or where she went, even if it was only to the bathroom, the redhead would spot an intense-looking Ash Ketch'um around each and every nearby corner, staring right at her with an intensely suspicious expression. It had gotten to the point where Jessica was too disturbed to leave her room unless she was sure that everyone was fast asleep.

However, when Jessica woke upon the day that Ash was supposed to be leaving again, she reluctantly decided to make herself present since she knew, subconsciously, that she only had one more day to set things right. With that thought in mind, she forced herself out of the room she'd been given and made her way into the hall that led towards kitchen... just in time to hear Ash say that he and his friends were going to stay for a few more weeks. The redhead had frozen midstep with a palpitating heart.

She'd stood there and simply listened while he and his friends explained to Delia that they would be staying longer than they'd intended since Ash had missed being home, and Brock wanted to pay a visit to his family in Pewter City. Dawn had even come up with an ingenious excuse and had eagerly told the woman that she'd never been in the Kanto region and wanted to update her Pokedex.

To Jessica's dismay, the woman had been absolutely overjoyed by the news, so she'd promptly gone back into hiding.

However, Ash's hounding had continued... and soon, he'd figured out her schedule, which had forced her to make a new one.

She now waited only for the times he expected her to be sleeping in her room to leave it. The constant prickles of anxiety coupled with the way he was always spying on her had seriously exhausted the girl, not to mention she was feeling rather out of it from trying to change her sleeping schedule so much. Without her even noticing, however, everyone had started settling into their own little activities each day.

Dawn was a sweet girl, and Jessica usually saw her talking to Delia or helping her clean in the kitchen when she wasn't out looking for new Pokemon. Brock was usually helping the woman with the cooking or tending to everyone's Pokemon, and Ash would either be lazing around reading books or cyphering through his Pokedex. Jessica, when she wasn't being hounded by her foster brother, was often the odd ball out since she didn't like the glares that Dawn and Ash kept sending her whenever Delia turned her back.

She didn't really know if Brock ever glared, though: he always looked in her direction with them, but since his eyes seemed to be locked into a perpetual squint, she couldn't really tell. In the end, she could only come to one conclusion: they genuinely hated her and didn't trust her at all. And that one, simple realization made her feel so awful that she quickly fell into an extreme state of depression.

For several days after she came to that conclusion, Ash had nobody to hound since the redhead did absolutely nothing but sleep... but even more worrisome than that, her appetite was virtually non-existent. After another few days had come and gone, Delia brought back an entire tray full of food with a huge frown. For the first time that anyone had ever seen, she looked genuinely upset.

Which was fairly alarming, since Delia rarely ever got upset to the point where it showed on her expression.

In truth, Ash had only ever seen his mother look that way twice before.

The sight of her expression brought back a few unpleasant memories of his most dangerous times in the Orange Islands, when tornadoes, blizzards, and horrifying storms had started springing up all over the world. This had been two years back, right after he had managed to help a legendary Pokemon named Lugia quell a fearsome battle between three of the most well-known rare Pokemon: Zapdos, Moltres, and Articuno.

He had almost died several times during those battles, on numerous occasions.

However, when all had been said and done, his mother had shown up with professor Oak, and after barely surviving a helicopter crash, she'd angrily grounded him for an entire month. Misty had tried to calm her down with the excuse that he had saved the entire world... but his mother had merely shaken her head and covered her face with both hands.

He would never forget the words that had been said to him that day.

_"Is that so?_" she'd demanded, looking at him with tearful eyes while Misty, and two of his other friends, Traci and Melody, had stood watching. _"Well, I could have lost_ my_ whole world! Every day I worry about you, and wonder if you're all right! I know I can't stop you from doing the things you need to do... but at the same time, I can't help missing you and worrying about you! You're a Pokemon trainer, and that's just how it is... but next time, could you try and save the world just a little closer to home?_"

"_I_..." Ash had murmured. "_I guess I could give it a try..._"

"_I'm glad..._" she'd sighed, smiling at him with relief in her eyes. "_Just remember... every day, you're my hero."_

That day was the last time Delia had been upset by anything until the issue with Entei kidnapping her had happened a year later.

Because of those incidents, he'd fully realized for the first time just how much his mother worried about him.

Ash looked up from his Pokedex when Brock glanced at the tray of food in surprise; then he scratched his head.

"She didn't like it?" the Pokemon breeder asked, sounding confused. "Weird... everyone else did."

"She didn't even touch it: I slipped a napkin in her door to check if she opened it, and it was still there," Delia weakly explained, setting the tray on the counter before folding her hands and looking at the ground. "I'm... I'm starting to get worried about her. I've never seen a child act like this before... she seems to be extremely unhappy, and she won't come out of her room for anything, not even meals. This isn't normal, is it? Could she be ill?"

"No... I don't think she's sick," Brock muttered, giving the woman a somewhat pensive expression. "At least... not physically."

"What does that mean?" Delia asked, immediately wringing her hands. "It makes no sense!"

"It makes quite a bit of sense if you consider the circumstances," Brock countered, tilting his head back with a sigh. "At this point, we still only remember her as the criminal who put us through too many hardships to get along with. However, now that she's lost her memories, she doesn't know how to handle the hostility that's being directed at her: it's not so much a sickness of the body than a sickness of the soul. She can't do anything to change how we feel about all of the things she did to us... and I think she finally realized that a few days ago."

Delia's face fell and she lowered her eyes, mouth pulling into a frown... then she headed down the hall to her bedroom.

Brock sighed and set the uneaten food on the counter.

"You really think she's just upset?" Ash finally asked, scowling at his best friend. "Couldn't she be planning a new way to kidnap Pikachu?"

"I honestly don't know," the taller boy pondered, glancing at him in dismay. "If it were any other girl who was acting like this, I'd have tried to find out the reason behind it... but if I'm gonna be totally honest with you, Jessie's kinda scary for a female. Then again, she looks a lot cuter without all that makeup on. When I first saw her, I was kinda surprised by how young she looked. Her face doesn't really fit a woman in her late twenties, ya know?"

"What are you talking about?" Ash snorted, looking at him in surprise. "Mom told me that Jessie's only seventeen: she's a year younger than you!"

Brock twitched and stared at him in shock.

"No way!" he snorted, quirking an eyebrow. "She can't be that young! She started chasing you before you met me, and she's barely changed at all since then, right?! If what you just said is true, Ash, then Jessie would have been only fourteen years old the first time you two ever met!"

"So?" Ash muttered, going back to looking at his Pokedex. "She was wearing tons of makeup back then, too, which is why I originally thought she was the oldest person on Team Rocket. I mean, back then, James looked only a little older than me."

That silenced his friend, who frowned before going back to the dishes.

There was a taciturn silence for the rest of the evening.

Later that night, however, after everyone was fast asleep... the door to Jessica's room finally opened.

And with careful movements, she silently slid out into the hall.

Her long hair had been pinned up on top of her head as tightly as she could manage, and she was wearing the two-piece dress that Professor Oak had initially given her. On her shoulder was the bag that she'd arrived with, and on her head was the sunhat that the man had plopped on top of her. Indigo eyes full of depression, the redhead straightened her collar and swallowed before shutting the door.

However, the sight of Ash standing behind it with Pikachu growling on his shoulder nearly made her heart stop.

"Going somewhere?" the boy asked, glancing at her bag with narrowed eyes. "What exactly are you planning, Rocket?"

"I'm... I'm just going for a walk," Jessica stammered, face awkwardly twitching as she forced the lie out of her mouth; her stomach churned when he narrowed his eyes, and her eyes started stinging. She slowly squeezed the strap on her bag, trying to keep it up. "I... I... I mean... I'm..."

"Stop lying!" Ash instantly snapped, startling the girl by storming forward and clamping his hands down on her arms; his grip was tightened so much that it started hurting. "Just stop trying to pretend! Admit it! You didn't lose your memories, did you?! I know what you're up to... you're plotting against me! You think that by gaining my mother's affections you'll be able to steal Pikachu!"

Jessica froze like a statue when Delia sleepily poked her head out of her room, followed by a disheveled-looking Dawn and Brock.

"No... you're wrong," the girl choked out, mouth tightening in horror. "You're wrong! I'm not a bad person!"

"Liar! If that's the truth, where were you going?!" the boy shouted, pointing a finger right at her. "I'm not stupid! You were probably gonna report back to your Rocket friends tonight, weren't you?!"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Jessica frantically shouted, flailing her arms. "I have no memories, you jerk! I'm not lying!"

"Stop it!" Ash finally spat, shoving the girl so hard that she hit the floor and scraped her hand against the wall; then he froze and blinked, since she looked at the bleeding cut before regarding him with a terrified expression on her face. "As far as I see it, you're not welcome here... and you're sure as hell not gonna be my sister, even if my mom says you are! Just… just… get out of here! Get out of here and disappear!"

Something in the girl's expression cracked at the command... very much like a mirror.

Ash instantly froze and an uneasy sensation swept through his heart when he saw the expression in her eyes: he didn't know why, but he had a feeling that he had just said something very wrong... something that might have tied to Jessica's past, even if she really couldn't remember it.

"Disappear?" Jessica asked softly, slowly getting to her feet. "So, you want me to… disappear?"

"Well, kinda, but... I mean..." Ash muttered, looking confused and uncomfortable. "I didn't mean it literally."

"Disappear…" the redhead repeated, shoulders sagging as her round blue eyes went blank. "You're a moron, Ash... you don't even get it."

"Get what?" Ash hesitantly asked, watching as she slowly trudged past him and walked towards the kitchen. "Jessie?"

She froze midstep.

"Stop calling me Jessie," she stated in a weak tone of voice. "Okay?"

"Why?" Ash snorted, staring at her with an askance expression. "Isn't that your name?"

In an instant, she whirled around stomped right back towards him, leaning close to his face.

When his eyes widened and he leaned backwards, Pikachu growled, but the girl didn't falter.

"No, it's _not_ my name!" she snapped, brows furrowed and eyes full of tears. "My name is Jessica! Everyone keeps saying 'Jessie this' and 'Jessie that,' but Jessie isn't here anymore! I am not the girl that everyone hated! You said you want Jessie to disappear, right? Well, sadly, you already got that wish about three weeks ago: my name is Jessica Rougette, not the nefarious 'Jessie' you think is so horrible! And guess what? I'm planning on disappearing, too! So leave me alone!"

"Are you crazy?" Ash bluntly asked, making Delia gasp. "You don't seem sane, even compared to how you used to be."

"Well, excuse me for being confused about things I can't even remember!" Jessica retorted, glaring at him with an angry expression. "Just leave me alone!"

However, before anyone could say another word, Pikachu growled again and leapt on her chest.

The girl instantly let out a shriek as the events from from the previous week came to mind, and she immediately flailed her arms. Pupils dilating, the girl hastily grabbed the electric Pokemon around the middle and threw it off of her before whirling around and bolting for the back door. She stepped on Mr. Mime, who had fallen asleep in front of it, as she was passing.

Despite the Pokemon's squawk of surprise, she ran outside.

"Jessica, stop!" Delia cried, bolting after her in hysteria when she darted through the front gate and sprinted down the Southern road. "Come back!"

"Leave me alone" the redhead shrieked, hat being blown off her head and long hair slipping out of its bun as she sprinted away. "I can't stay here anymore!"

By the time the woman made it to the gate, the former criminal was already too far to chase after her.

"Brock!" the woman shouted, sinking to her knees and covering her face. "Call Professor Oak! Tell him that Jessie ran away and we need help looking for her!"

"MOM!" Ash shouted, looking totally stunned by the command. "Why?! Isn't it better like this?!"

There was no answer other than the autumn leaves sweeping emptily across the street... and when his mother turned, Ash's face went pale.

She looked close to crying.

"Ash... listen, darling: she really has no memories," Delia stated carefully, giving him a serious expression. "This isn't your fault, and I know that you're having difficulty believing this, but it's the truth: she really doesn't know anything about who she used to be. When the doctor came to re-stitch her wounds, he confirmed it by giving her a test using a Hypno. She was put into a trance... and when the doctor told her to tell him everything she could about her past, she said only one word: 'nothingness.' We did this test three times with the same result. She doesn't remember a thing!"

"No way..." Ash stammered, face draining of color; he abruptly remembered how Misty herself had once been forced to act like a Seel because of a Hypno and felt his heart growing cold. "Really? She really doesn't remember anything?!"

"Yes, and that's exactly why we have to find her as quickly as possible!" Delia exclaimed, worriedly pressing a hand against her chest and hastily climbing back to her feet. "She took the southern road! Ash, we have to find her, quickly! Before she gets hurt!"

"What? Hurt?" the boy asked, looking extremely alarmed; Dawn instantly jogged out and stood next to him, seeming confused. "What do you mean by hurt?"

"Ash, multiple flocks of Spearow have taken to nesting along that road!" Delia cried, turning around with a frantic expression. "Those horrible birds have been attacking people so often lately that Officer Jenny issued a warning last month that the southern road is too dangerous to travel along without a Pokemon!"

Dawn looked confused, but both Ash and Brock paled to the point of translucency. The dark-skinned boy instantly bolted to the video phone and started dialing Professor Oak's home number. Ash merely whirled around, ran over to Pikachu, and scooped him up as memories of the first time he'd ever gotten his best friend surged back into his mind. Then, after tearing into the house and grabbing his shoes and cap, the boy took off past his mother and sprinted down the road at top speed, still in his Pajamas.

Pikachu looked extremely confused until he glanced down with nervous eyes.

"We were wrong, Buddy," he mumbled, rubbing the Pokemon's ears. "Jessie might not be a bad guy anymore."

"Pika?" the Pokemon squeaked, cocking its head; it seemed to comprehend the statement, especially considering how it's ears flattened somewhat. "Pika-pi?"

"Look, do you remember the first time we ever got into a big scrape with all of those Spearow?" Ash sighed, nodding worriedly when the Pokemon's ears shot up and it stared at him in alarm. "Jessie might end up getting herself in the same kind of trouble, so let's find her!"

Almost instantly, Pikachu leapt out of his arms and started running beside him, skittering down the road of his own accord.

Meanwhile, Jessie was much farther down the road and still going, but now she was feeling worried since she had no clue where she was.

"I should have brought a map," she panted, looking around at all of the dark trees as she ran. "I have no idea where I'm going!"

As she was running, she squinted ahead of her to see where she was going, but it was so dark that she couldn't catch a glimpse of anything.

Then, out of nowhere, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky with a blinding flash and a deafening bang: it startled her so badly that she jumped and looked up, not paying attention to what was in front of her. Just as small, barely-felt drops of rain began to fall all around her, the girl tripped over something soft and stumbled forward with a gasp of surprise.

"What the—?" Jessica squeaked, waving her arms as she tried to catch her balance. "EEP!"

She landed hard on her stomach, effectively knocking the wind out of herself and causing bright stars to explode behind her eyes.

When her sight returned, the world around her spun sickeningly as she heaved for air, trying to get breath back into her empty lungs.

"Ow…" the redhead wheezed, sitting up and weakly catching her wind. "What did I just trip over...? It felt squishy..."

However, when the girl looked over her shoulder, she spotted a small bird-like creature fluttering its wings with its face stuck in a hole below ground. Letting out a gasp of horror, Jessica instantly crawled over to the ensnared creature and gently grabbed it around the middle despite its flailing legs. Then, after gently widening the hole it had gotten stuck in using her fingers, she tugged and the creature came free with a squawk. Jessie fell on her backside and blinked when another bolt of lightning flashed overhead, illuminating a fierce set of eyes that swiveled around and locked on her face. She blinked when she noticed that the creature had gone still and seemed to be glaring.

Then, before she could react, its beak shot out and clamped down on her finger.

"AAAAAH! OW!" Jessica shrieked, jerking her hand back in pain and dropping the creature to the ground; however, she yelped when it leapt at her, wings flapping madly and beak gnashing at her hair in another attempt to bite her. "EEK! No! No! Get away from me, you awful little thing!"

"Speearow!" it cawed, flapping all around her face. "Speearow!"

"Get off!" the girl shouted, flailing her arms; when her hand smacked its head and it flew back a few feet, the girl thought it was over and held her finger up with teary eyes: she was bleeding where it had bit her, and it still really hurt. "Ow..."

However, her worries were far from over, since she'd hit the Pokemon on the head and left a welt.

"SPEAAAAROW!" the creature practically screeched, making the girl jump in surprise. "SPEEEEAROW!"

Just like that, another bolt of lightning illuminated hundreds of black forms flying out of the trees. The girl froze like a statue when she saw a flocks of nearly identical birds flapping in the air above her. She blinked several times to make she she wasn't seeing things, and she even rubbed her eyes, but her mouth fell open in disbelief when she realized that she wasn't actually having an odd hallucination.

The Pokemon above her all looked angry.

"Uh-oh..." Jessica whined, slowly crawling to her feet and hesitantly trying to back away without enraging them any further. "Um, nice birdies... please don't be mad at me! I helped your friend, so... um..."

Before she could finish, they all dive-bombed her.

Jessie ducked and lifted both of her arms up to cover her head, but she couldn't keep herself from letting out a shriek when one of the Spearows used its beak to slice her arm open. Blood began spilling down her pale skin when the Pokemon flew back up into the air. Letting out a scream, the girl darted away with the flying creatures hot on her tail.

The trees and attacking birds had her zigzagging in a dizzying manner, and she tripped more than once over the exposed roots lying across the ground, but she didn't care: she was too busy trying to keep from being sliced to pieces to worry about where she was going.

"Help!" Jessica wailed, jumping over a log and ducking under a branch. "Help! Someone, help me!"

However, that's when she heard the twig snapping behind her as one of the Pokemon dive-bombed her.

Only a split second before it speared her, she ducked and it shredded past her cheek, tearing out a few strands of her long hair. The redhead shrieked, whirled around with a screech of terror, and bolted in an unseen direction; it had started raining sometime during the time she was being attacked, which made it only that much harder for her to see anything. Every Pokemon that attacked somehow sailed past without harming her much, but Jessica was so terrified that she didn't dare to stop running.

"Help!" Jessica breathlessly cried, yelping when a Spearow tore a branch off a tree just beside her head. "Help me! Help me! Help me!"

The redhead started gasping for air when the sound of more screeching Spearow came from behind her.

She squeaked when one of them scraped the ground right next to her left ankle and stumbled when another grazed her right shoulder.

In all honesty, she was simply lucky that it was hard to see: it meant that they couldn't see her very well, either. However, her good luck came to an end when she stumbled through a clearing... because she only saw the edge of the cliff just as she was about to go over it. The skinny redhead skidded to a halt just before she tumbled off the ledge, toes poking over the edge of the chasm.

Eyes huge, she frantically windmilled her arms.

She felt her heart lurching and squealed as she fought to keep her balance, struggling to avoid falling into the frothing lake resting thirty feet below. She finally managed to throw herself backwards and clutched her chest, sopping wet from the rain and breathing hard.

"EHHH?!" Jessica whimpered, eyes widening in horror. "No way! This isn't happening!"

"SPEAROW!" a Pokemon cried, and when Jessie jerked her head around, she saw the dark silhouettes of pursuers high in the air; more cries filled the air all around, making the girl's face turn pale. "SPEEEEEAROW!"

The redhead scrambled to her feet and backed away from them with large eyes, but when her heel brushed against the edge of the cliff and sent some rocks falling out into the open air, she was once again reminded that she was trapped. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw them dive. Then they were all soaring at her in a wave of living fury.

"SOMEBODY! HELP ME!" Jessica screeched, covering her face with both hands; five seconds before the Spearow landed the attacks, and two seconds after she screamed for help, a bolt of brilliant yellow lightning came roaring down from the clouds like a message from a higher power. Jessica's eyes widened when the Spearow were all shocked by the blinding electricity, watching as they screeched and flew away.

For several moments after they were gone, Jessica stood where she was, soaking wet and shivering violently.

Then a familiar boy wearing a weathered red and white cap came into view, donned in his pale green Pajamas.

"Ash!" Jessie cried, stumbling forward with enormous eyes. "Ash!"

"I didn't do that for you, and neither did Pikachu!" the boy snapped, disturbed by how she stumbled forward. "Stay away from us!"

However, the boy froze when she flung her arms around his torso and pulled him into a hug.

He stared over her shoulder with wide, confused eyes.

Then she started crying, making the boy flail his arms.

"That was so scary!" Jessica bawled, hiccuping as she cried. "I thought I was gonna die!"

"What are you doing?" he shouted, struggling to get free with little result. "Let go of me, you weirdo! LET GO!"

Without warning, Pikachu zapped her shoulder with a flash of yellow light.

"OW!" Jessica yelped, leaping away and holding her stinging arm. "Why do you keep shocking me?!"

However, when the girl stepped back, the boy's doe brown eyes flicked to the ground and went wide.

"Stop!" Ash cried, hurrying forward with an outstretched hand. "Don't move!"

"Why should I?" the girl snapped, gripping her backpack from where it had fallen. "So you can have your Pokemon try to shock me—eeeeEEEEYAAAAAH!"

Jessica's question devolved into a startled shriek when the muddy earth she was standing on suddenly caved in beneath her.

Her water-soaked clothes reversed gravity as her footing vanished: her long hair began to fan around her body as the world began to blur, tilting upright just as a ringing silence dominated the girl's mind. Jessica stared at the black, stormy sky with stunned indigo eyes—hand outstretched to where she had just been standing only a second before. The image of her bag falling onto the muddy cliff above and Ash stretching out his hand with a horrified expression was the last thing she saw before her body slammed into the turbulent lake.

She slammed into the water headfirst and nearly knocked herself unconscious.

The girl instantly tried to take a breath of air, which only caused a large amount of water to flood her nostrils and choke her. Blue eyes frantic, she flailed around as her chest began to burn: water clouded her vision as she struggled to move, flailing her arms. Black spots began to impede on her vision, and a soundless scream, accompanied by a column of bubbles, escaped from her mouth. She glanced toward the surface and struggled to swim to it, but she only seemed to be making herself sink farther down.

She didn't know how to swim.

Her lungs burned and her eyes stung as she wondered if she was going to die.

The choking liquid pressed in on Jessica from all sides, making her movements sluggish as she struggled to swim up to the surface. Her chest was burning and she was desperate for air... but she was too weak to find the surface, and her struggles slowly began to grow weaker. Darkening spots flashed in front of her eyes, making it hard to see anything.

Finally, she stopped struggling altogether.

Jessica slowly began to sink underwater, arms stretched out toward the rippling surface. As she faced the black sky that was so close and yet so far away, her long auburn hair swirled around her pale face and flashed like a mirror as it drifted in front of her eyes. Staring at the flickering shafts of light, she watched as the faint rippling above her grew dimmer, fading by the second.

_Why is it so cold?_ Jessica vaguely wondered as she drifted in and out of consciousness. _Am I underwater, or is this just a dream?_

Just as she was about to succumb to the pressure of the darkness enfolding her, she saw a disturbance in the water above her.

Then... a glowing blue light filled the darkness around her and she was abruptly engulfed in radiance.

Eyes fluttering a little, the redhead vaguely spotted a similarly glowing silhouette reaching out to her with two three-fingered limbs.

The distant, shadowy figure had large, brilliantly glowing eyes that only seemed to grow bigger and brighter until they were practically right in front of her own. However, before she could react to the sight of such a shocking entity, a painful amount of pressure smashed against her stomach and she was suddenly being dragged through the darkness. Her long hair slid across her shoulders and billowed in front of her face as water went rushing up her nose. Her head lolled when the pressure jerked her in another direction, and it was only then that she realized that something soft and warm had gripped her around the middle.

_What is this...?_ the girl wondered, seeing spots as she touched the pale pink fur resting in front of her nose; when her eyes flicked up, her fading mind vaguely made out an extremely long and curvaceous tail that was attached to a set of oddly-shaped limbs. _What is this thing...?_

After a moment, her hazed mind started going dark as the spots filled her being, and she slowly closed her eyes.

Then her head broke the surface.

Her eyes flew back open and the spots slowly dissolved as she took a deep, ragged, painful, and absolutely wonderful breath of air. However, she yipped when the pressure jerked her to the side, cracking her rib cage with the force of the tug. Then she was being pulled into the air... and before she even realized what was going on, she was flying, and the lake was fading away. However, only thirty seconds later, she hit the ground again: Jessica coughed and choked violently, mind swirling around as she forced the water out of her lungs.

Then she felt something tightening around her middle and weakly glanced down, fighting to stay awake.

She was startled to see an extremely large, odd-looking creature literally clinging to her body.

It's eyes were closed, though, and she couldn't really tell if it was awake or asleep.

She blinked with glazed eyes at the ridge that extended from the back of its head before curving down to its spine: beneath that area was an open space. On top of the creatures head was a pair of ears that had an odd shape. They were distinctly rounded, and Jessie was rather baffled by how they looked since she couldn't really discern where the spots to hear things with really were.

Then there was its face... she could see a small, felinoid mouth and nose at the end of a white, furry muzzle.

Jessica's water-logged red hair stuck to the back of her body as she lay there on her back, eyes dimming with exhaustion.

She stared at the odd creature with flickering vision.

After looking up at the sky, the small girl realized that it was still raining, but everything had brightened with the onset of morning. Still coughing and spluttering, Jessica struggled to move her leaden body, but the creature's bony arms merely tightened a little on her waist and it's head shifted against the front of her dress. As far as she could tell, it seemed to be unconscious.

With her clothes soaked, skin cold, and morning coming on soon, she didn't know what to do. The redhead was too tired and fatigued to get up and find shelter or help, but there was no breeze blowing through the trees so she knew she shouldn't have feared getting sick for the moment.

_I'll just rest here for a little_, she thought silently, eyes fluttering closed. _The creature on me is warm... so... I'll just rest for a little while..._

However, only a second later she was asleep.

And lying on top of her... was a severely injured Mewtwo.


	7. Chapter 6: Second Born

**Second Born**

Darkness... pain... and the smell of copper.

Aside from the rare moments when he was dragged out of his prison to battle other creatures, those three elements were the center of his world. Even though his heart was always beating a mile a minute, the blood that had continuously dried on his fur flaked off much more slowly. And as he waited in the darkness for one of the humans to return, he knew all the while that there would never be a way for him to escape.

The man who had imprisoned him had done this several years ago as a way of making him take responsibility for his brother's actions.

His brother - The Original, as he was commonly referred to - had destroyed this same facility many years ago and escaped from it.

He wanted nothing more than to do what his elder brother had done and get away from this place. The Original had always been so strong... and he hadn't been shocked to find that the firstborn had managed to escape on his own power.

After his own initial birth, he had often been held by three-fingered paws that mirrored his own. Ever since the moment he had first opened his eyes, the Original's silent voice had always told him the pain would not be eternal

Over and over again, those arms would hold him and the Original would tell him stories of other creatures... real creatures, not created from another life's DNA. They were, after all, nothing but clones... but he, as the Original had always told him, could not even be called that because he was nothing more than a copy of a clone.

A copy of _him._

That, you see, was the painful truth: in reality, he was nothing more than a clone of The Original, who was also a clone. Ironically, his name was only a metaphor: he should have been named 'Mewthree' since Giovanni had cloned him from a clone, but no... to everyone who had ever set eyes on him, he was known only as 150-B, the Second Born... and unlike his elder brother, he was weaker both in body and mind.

A shadow, born from a shadow.

However, his brother had been angered so deeply by the fact that they were nothing but test subjects that he had freed himself.

That same brother... the one who had always been there... had left him behind.

Without a second thought.

Until that moment, he had looked up to his sibling, even though they were merely reflections of each other. Because that was exactly what he was: he was nothing but a reflection of the original Mewtwo... a living, breathing reflection.

And yet, until this last battle with 'The Girl'... he had never once questioned his painful existence. Her memories held within them something more than just pain: despite her shattered dreams, she'd found the will to keep going... and after witnessing that, his half life... his _false_ life... had somehow been shaken to its core.

Then again, it was mostly because of her that he was in this situation.

He had been put through so much emotional agony after experiencing her hidden torments that it had clouded his judgement, and because of that, he had completely erased her memories without thinking twice.

He had been punished gravely for it, too... his wounds still stung and bled, and he'd been locked up with no food or water for a very long time.

Even worse, the memories he had tried to escape from were still haunting him... making him feel as though the child with the rose-colored hair was now the same being as himself. He had shouldered the burden of her entire life without wanting it.

Now he wanted nothing more than to give it back, because the same memories that had once destroyed an unloved little girl were eating away at him from the inside out.

When a distant door opened up and the blinding light fell across his starving, bloodied form, he cringed against the wall with a terrified shiver and his tail violently lashed against the ground: the pale pink-and-violet fur that had once covered his body was congealed with dried blood.

His three-digit paws clenched weakly before going limp above his head, ears flattening down on his skull. The moment Giovanni's silhouette fell across his battered body, he knew the punishment was going to come again. Just like all the other times, there would be no mercy... no one could save him from his fate.

There would be no reprieve of the pain.

He was doomed to be chained to this wall by his neck, arms, and tail for eternity... an eternity full of everlasting darkness.

"Mewtwo," the leader of team rocket growled, stepping forward with cold brown eyes. "I'm sure you know why I'm here."

He closed his eyes and turned his face away without making a sound, forcing his body to remain still when the human's silhouette drew closer. Even with his teal eyes squeezed so tightly shut, he could feel the coldness that had always been present in the human before him. If he was lucky, Giovanni would order someone to beat him senseless until he got bored: after that, he would leave and he'd be in the darkness once more.

Today, however, something was different.

He could tell by the way the human was breathing that there was something strange about him. He struggled to lift his head, but he couldn't manage it and his chains clinked as he went limp with his failure. He wanted to see why the man was breathing so raggedly... wanted to see why it sounded as though there were others with him.

Yet, at the same time, he really didn't want to see anything at all just in case it was a new form of torture: he wanted to be like his brother, the Original, who had escaped so easily.

"Are you listening to me?!" the man demanded, bending down and gripping the psychic Pokemon's throat; Mewtwo's head lolled limply when Giovanni jerked him forward and forced his teal eyes to focus on his face. "I've been having a serious problem with your attitude lately."

_My demeanor is as you see because I am too weak to do much else_, the Pokemon telepathically retorted, trying to hide his misery; he kept an even gaze focused on the man in front of him. _It is no fault of mine._

Giovanni instantly backhanded the Pokemon, making him flinch and cower against the wall with averted eyes: his tail was curling itself into knots and his ears were flat against his skull. However, he didn't look afraid: merely tired and in pain.

After all, he'd gone through this kind of treatment since the day he'd been born, so he'd never really been able to experience anything aside from it.

That is, until the day he'd fought against the child with the rose-colored hair.

"Don't mock me," the man sneered, eyes flashing with irritation. "After all, I hold your life within my palms. You are proving yourself to be worthless to me, and I don't uphold that kind of failure for very long. Not only have you been losing every match against the other Pokemon, but the ONE TIME you managed to win a battle was because you were pitted against a defenseless woman. Not to mention your actions caused some highly irreparable issues. I told you to finish her by knocking her unconscious: you weren't supposed to erase her memories."

_You clearly told me you would not care how I finished the match, as long as I did it right then,_ the Pokemon weakly retorted, teal eyes closing as a wave of dizziness swamped him. _I merely did the one thing that came to mind._

"I see," Giovanni muttered, glancing at his Persian when it walked up with a syringe in its mouth; Mewtwo glanced at it when Giovanni pulled a small bottle out of his jacket pocket and stuck the needle into it. The Pokemon watched as a bronze liquid filled the medical tool, then blinked when it was squirted it into the air. "You're useless, so I've decided that for the benefit of Team Rocket, I'm going to put you down to save money."

The Pokemon's ears shot straight up and his teal eyes sharpened when the man put the bottle back into his pocket.

_You intend to take my life?_ Mewtwo demanded, eyes burning with something unfathomable. _What right do you have to my existence?_

"I own you: that is all I need to do with you as I desire," Giovanni sneered, lifting the syringe and tightening the needle before glaring at him. "Sleep well, Mewtwo: you were a rather pathetic clone, but I plan on making another one using the DNA from your corpse, so don't feel too bad about failing so many times. You were only an experiment, after all."

Something inside the Pokemon's mind went out like a light upon hearing those words.

And when Giovanni made as though he were going to stick the instrument of death into his body, Mewtwo's round teal eyes began glowing bright blue and the man suddenly froze in place. His slanted brown eyes widened as his limbs jolted to an unwilling halt, held in place by a brilliant blue aura: then the chains holding Mewtwo snapped under the telekinetic pressure he was exuding, and the Pokemon rose into the air.

Lifting a bloodied paw, the psychic blasted the Rocket leader into the wall.

_Experiment or not,_ a telepathic voice whispered, full of calm anguish, _my life is not yours... and I will fight you in order to keep it._

With that, the Pokemon generated as much psychic power as he could and exploded into the air, tearing through the ceiling and roaring up into the sky.

Mewtwo flinched and abruptly squeezed his glowing eyes shut when he flew up into the raining nighttime air: he had been chained in the dark for so long that it nearly blinded him just being out in the open like this. Behind him, an explosion lit up the earth... but he was so weak and tired that he could barely focus enough to keep going, let alone glance behind him to see what had just occurred.

He needed to get away, and if he could manage to get out of sight, he could rest in the clouds. He heard several thunderous cracks echoing around him as he fled, and several times he was blinded by brilliant flashes of light that streaked across the sky; the wind made it hard for him to keep going, and it only exhausted him even further.

Mewtwo didn't know how long he flew for, nor did he care anymore: he had somehow freed himself like his brother had, and he was going to take advantage of the situation.

Then again, with all of the flashes going on around him, he could barely see anything. Even worse, his exhaustion was so great that he couldn't even fly straight anymore.

Soon, instead of flying... he was falling.

The wind whipped across his bloodied fur as he flipped towards a sparkling lake that lay far below, plummeting towards his death; as he fell through the clouds and a forest of many colors came into view, the azure aura surrounding his body dissolved with a sparkling blue twinkle and he closed his teal eyes. He was so tired that he didn't even care if he perished anymore: he just wanted to go to sleep and not be in pain. The air whipped around his form as he flipped towards the water, limbs limp and tail flying.

The lake was looming closer and closer.

That surface was where he would perish.

If the impact didn't kill him, he would definitely drown there.

Then... a flash of red met his gaze.

His eyes opened and he stared through the spiraling world as a familiar color broke through his daze. Rose red... familiar, but only just. Then he saw the rest: pale skin, large blue eyes, long hair the color of roses.

A girl falling into the lake he that himself was about to die in.

His eyes flashed open wide and started glowing once again in recognition.

Flipping out of his death-tumble and using up the last of his strength, the Pokemon's eyes flashed and he sped towards the redheaded girl who had just fallen off the edge of a crumbling cliff and plummeted into the frothing lake. Letting his instincts take over, the Mewtwo soared towards the only familiar thing his mind had to latch onto and smashed clean into the surface without slowing down.

The water drowned out all sound as he dove beneath the waves, eyes flashing this way and that.

Then he spotted a fiery tendril and the water around him exploded as he propelled himself towards his target. He stretched his paws out in preparation to latch onto her: he wanted to remove the burden of her painful memories before he died... and he was going to do so, no matter the result. He descended through the icy liquid, planning to return what he had stolen... but just before he did so, she opened her eyes.

And looked right at him.

Her eyes were no longer the same as they'd been when he'd fought her. They were no longer narrowed into a perpetual glare... nor did they have the cold iciness he'd seen in her memories.

Her eyes were round, frightened, and full of pain... very much like his own must have been in that moment.

But above all... they were innocent.

Then he remembered where he was and propelled himself forward, wrapping his shaking upper limbs around the only familiar thing that had breached the painful haze of his existence. Without a second thought, he shot towards the surface and broke through into the air: the girl resting across his shoulder started coughing violently when he flew into the air again... but just before they could get going, his eyes rolled and he lost his concentration.

The glow surrounding them winked out soon after, and when they fell back to the ground, he landed heavily on top of her. Tasting blood, the Pokemon's wrapped his limbs around her middle in a vain attempt to keep her from going anywhere, but then his mind went dark and he fainted, still clinging to the last bit of familiarity he had left with shaking paws.

_Then something happened... and all of a sudden, he was hovering in a world of darkness. In front of him was the child with the rose-colored hair._

_She was facing away from him and looking around, seemingly just as confused. However... when she turned around, she froze, eyes locking with his._

_"Who are you?" she asked, sounding extremely confused. "Where are we?"_

_The Pokemon merely stared, then warily glanced around: below his feet was darkness, and as far as he could tell, nothing was keeping him grounded. Since he seemed to be doing nothing but floating, he cautiously made his way forward and approached the redhead, who looked extremely nervous and confused. She was shivering violently and hugging herself as her eyes flashed around._

_'I do not know where we are...' he finally replied, halting directly in front of her; when she glanced at him with a start, he narrowed his eyes and lifted a paw. She shuddered violently and let out a fearful whine when he merely touched her lightened hair in curiosity. 'Are you the child with Rose-colored hair?'_

_"Huh?" the girl asked blankly, staring at him in confusion. "I... don't know. I mean, my hair was close to that color when I first woke up in the hospital, but the dye wore off a while ago."_

_The Pokemon merely narrowed its eyes even further... then slowly pressed a finger against her forehead._

_Planning on returning her memories. _

_For a moment, nothing happened... but then, an unexpected electrical shock abruptly went through both of them, and a blue Aura sparked out of the creature's digit. Mewtwo and Jessica froze as something within their consciousnesses unexpectedly fused together. Another accident that had been caused by the Pokemon's ill training: when he jerked away, a blanket of thought and emotion enfolded his own._

_The redhead and the Pokemon stared at each other with large eyes._

_"What did you just do to me?!" Jessie whispered, sinking to her knees with blank blue eyes. "I... I feel like something's inside my head! What did you do?!"_

_'I... do not know...' the Pokemon calmly admitted, sourly turning away and folding its arms with a glare. 'I will find a way to fix it once we manage to free ourselves of this shadowy place.'_

_"You sure have a weird way of using words," Jessica muttered, then twitched when the Pokemon turned a dark glare on her. "Sorry! I didn't mean it in a bad way!"_

_Before he could retort, another shock zapped both of them, and a distant coin of light opened up in the air high above them._

_The two glanced at each other in alarm as two tendrils of light swam down and ensnared them... but then, they were jerked upwards towards light and sound._

_Muffled voices began to make sense in their ears... no... Jessica's ears?_

_'Who am I, again?' the girl wondered, swimming out of unconsciousness as the pressure of two arms shaking her met her awareness. 'Me or...?'_

"JESSICA!" a muffled female voice cried, rapidly becoming clearer; the girl's glazed indigo eyes slowly opened halfway and she stared at the bright blue sky above her with a confused demeanor. "JESSICA! WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

"I-is she gonna be okay?" Dawn's voice hesitantly stammered. "She's so... _white_! And why the heck is that _thing_ clinging to her!"

"I don't even have any idea what kind of Pokemon that is," Professor Oak's voice murmured, sounding thoroughly intrigued. "In all my years as a professor, I have never once seen such an astounding subject! Where do you think it came from? And more importantly, why do you think it won't let go of Jessie?"

"I know what kind of Pokemon that is... but I've only ever seen one of them," Ash muttered darkly. "It's a mewtwo, but definutely not the same one I met three years ago. It's eyes and fur are different."

"A... a _mewtwo_?" Professor Oak choked, sounding shellshocked. "Where in the world did this creature come from?!"

"Watch what you say," Ash hissed. "If its anything like the Mewtwo I met, I'm pretty sure it can understand what we're talking about?"

"Preposterous," Professor Oak choked.

"Actually, it's not, since Mewtwo is a psychic type," Brock broke in. "See? It's awake and glaring. Still... why Jessie?"

"Yeah, the way it's looking at us kind of makes me not want to go anywhere near her," Ash nervously chuckled. "My mom's got some guts!"

"JESSICAAAA!" the woman cried, patting the dazed redhead's cheek; around that moment, her eyes fluttered a little wider and she turned her sodden head to find the face of a nearly-crying brunette looking down at her. Her eyes were large and she appeared frantic. "WAKE UP! WAKE UP!"

"Mrs... Ketch'um...?" the girl croaked, voice coming out extremely sore. "What happened?"

"Oh, thank Arceas!" the woman whispered, leaning down and embracing the girl with a shuddering sigh. "You're all right..."

"Huh?" Jessica groggily asked, not really comprehending what was going on. "What...?"

However, before she could react, the woman abruptly shoved herself upright and started glaring clean deep into Jessie's eyes with a fury rarely seen.

Ash instantly swallowed and averted his own eyes with a shiver.

"YOUNG LADY, YOU ARE GROUNDED FOR A MONTH!" she shrieked, shaking the girl's shoulders back and forth. "WHAT WERE YOU THINKING, RUNNING OFF LIKE THAT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT?! DON'T YOU KNOW HOW DANGEROUS IT IS?! WHEN ASH CAME RUNNING BACK AND TOLD ME THAT YOU'D FALLEN OFF A CLIFF INTO THE LAKE, I NEARLY HAD A HEART ATTACK! DON'T EVER, AND I DO MEAN _EVER_, TRY TO RUN AWAY FROM HOME AGAIN! EVEEEEEER!"

Jessica had clamped up after the first shriek and shrunk down into her own shoulders, eyes wider than dinner plates and mouth pulled taught.

Nobody blamed her, either, even though Brock and Dawn started sniggering at the former criminal's expression.

It was priceless: she looked three percent startled and a hundred percent Squirtle, what with how she'd shrunk into her own neck.

"Are we clear, young lady?" Delia demanded in a low tone, giving her an intense expression. "Or do I need to make that grounding a year?"

Jessica immediately nodded the confirmation that she understood, eyes still bugging out of her head.

"Good," Delia sighed, smiling at the girl with the same countenance as before; if possible, the redhead's eyes widened even further. "I'm glad we agree."

"Um, Ash...?" Dawn whispered, staring at Delia's grin with a fair amount of shock. "Remind me never to make your mother angry. She's scary."

"Why do you think I'm always trying to be good around her?" the black-haired boy whispered back, shuddering violently and glancing at the tree that Pikachu had chosen to hide behind. "Let's just say that I haven't done anything wrong since I was about... say, five."

"AND YOU!" Delia shrieked, making the boy's eyes widen in a manner similar to Jessica's; he instantly faced forward and his head shrunk down on his shoulders in a manner that was almost identical to the way Jessica's had. "YOU, MISTER, ARE GOING TO APOLOGIZE! RIGHT NOW!"

"Y-y-y-y-y-y-yes'm!" Ash squeaked, hastily darting around his seething mother and looking at Jessie's stricken face. "S-s-s-s-s-sorry for lashing out at you!"

"AAAAAND?!" Delia thundered, seeming to blot out the entire sky with her anger; Ash AND Jessica quailed beneath it, and everyone else ran for their own trees to hide behind with due haste. "WHAT ELSE?! ISN'T THERE SOMETHING ELSE YOU'D LIKE TO APOLOGIZE FOR?! WELL, ASH?!"

"Y-y-yes!" the boy whimpered, feeling smaller than a bug Pokemon under his mother's gaze. "I-I-I-I-I-I'm also very sorry for how I've been treating you ever since you arrived, and... and I know your memories are really gone now! I'm sorry for accusing you and everything!"

"_AAAAAAAAAAAAAND_?!" the woman practically roared, instantly blotting out the sun. "SAY IT!"

"A-a-a-a-a-and, I wouldn't mind having you as a sisterrrrheherherheeeeer!" Ash wailed, bursting into terrified tears. "I'm sorry, Jessie... I mean, Jessica! JESSICA! I'm sorry, JESSICA!"

Delia suddenly returned to normal and primly folded her hands, giving them a happy nod.

"Wonderful," she sighed, dreamily putting a hand over her mouth and smiling in delight. "My son and foster daughter, getting along at last."

The two teenagers merely shared a terrified look and gave a nod, calling an indefinite truce to the hostilities: there was no way in hell they were ever going to induce Delia's wrath over this, ever again.

However, Jessie twitched when she felt two skinny arms tightening on her waist and abruptly glanced down: the creature that had rescued her was still lying in the same position as before, but now it's head was turned on its side. However, shockingly enough, its eyes were open and it was regarding everyone aside from her with hostility.

"What?" Jessica whispered, eyes widening in shock when the head turned and two teal eyes flicked up to her face. "What... what's going on?"

"That's what we'd like to know," Professor Oak explained, hesitantly giving the now-giggling Delia a wide girth as he passed her. "We've been searching for you for almost ten hours now, and when we found you... both you, and this strange Pokemon, were injured and unconscious."

Jessica's eyes widened when she got a mental flash of two brilliantly glowing eyes roaring towards her beneath the waves.

Then she remembered seeing two outstretched limbs.

"It saved me..." the girl whispered blankly, looking down at the creature in shock; it met her gaze evenly, although it seemed to be glaring a bit. "This Pokemon saved my life after I fell into the water. The last thing I remember is seeing two eyes in front of my face... then I was here."

"That doesn't answer any of the questions I have," the professor sighed, shaking his head. "More importantly, why is it clinging to you like that?"

"I have no clue," Jessica deadpanned, lifting her arm and gently lowering it towards the creature's head. "Really."

However, the reaction was instantaneous: it immediately flinched and its ears flattened down against its skull, teal eyes squeezing shut.

Everyone instantly blinked before frowning at the girl, who'd frozen with a startled expression.

"Interesting..." Professor Oak growled.

"Hey..." Jessie stammered, looking alarmed, "hey, why did it flinch like that?"

"Well, since it's obviously not scared of you," Ash snorted, scowling in confusion, "I don't really know. That's kind of weird."

Pikachu, however, slowly hopped forward with flicking ears: it was staring at the battered Pokemon with intelligent brown eyes.

"Pikachu..." the electric mouse squeaked, scurrying forward before Ash could stop him. "Chu! Chu! Pikachu!"

The Mewtwo's reaction was instantaneous: eyes fixating on the yellow creature's furry face, it nodded in an intense manner.

"Pi! Pikachu!" the tiny Pokemon squeaked, eliciting another nod; this process continued, baffling the hell out of everyone present, for nearly ten minutes... but in the end, the non-understandable conversation between the two creatures fell silent and Pikachu merely stood there. Then, waddling forward, the electric Pokemon lifted a small, furry claw... and patted the larger Pokemon with a single, solemn, "Pika."

Then his ears flicked and he scurried back over to Ash, scampering up the boy's leg and clean onto his shoulder.

"Pika-pi!" the Pokemon squeaked, tapping the boy's cheek with both of its clawed digits. "Pikachuuu!"

The Mewtwo merely stared, but after a moment... it slowly, almost reluctantly, released its grip on Jessie's torso. Then it's body was enshrouded in a blue aura and it floated into the air before soaring over to the boy, who jumped backwards and regarded it with enormous brown eyes. Stretching out a bony arm, the Pokemon gently pressed its three-fingered paw against the boy's forehead.

"Professor Oak?" the boy whispered, glancing at the extremely fascinated man with fearful eyes; the professor was literally drooling after witnessing such an amazing display of Pokemon interaction, and now he was even more curious. "What do I do? What's it trying to do to me?! It isn't gonna attack, right?"

"Just wait and see," the man breathed, making Brock pale and Dawn scoot away with her eyes to the clouds. "We can only watch."

'_You_,' Mewtwo stated, startling the black-haired trainer profoundly. '_As long as you are near, the child with the Rose-colored hair will not be far. Correct?'_

"Uhhhhh..." Ash whimpered, staring at it before looking at his mother. "Mom? I'm hearing voices in my head."

"What are they saying, dear?" Delia pleasantly inquired, making Brock snicker without warning and Dawn giggle profoundly. "Please! Tell me!"

"Um, it's one voice actually," the boy croaked, glancing at the teal-eyed Pokemon with enormous eyes. "I think It's asking if I'll be hanging out with Jessica or something... honestly, it's kinda hard to make sense of it."

"Well, that _is_ interesting!" Delia gasped, eyes lighting up. "I guess the answer would be yes: you will be hanging out with Jessica quite a bit, since you are both GROUNDED for a MONTH. Now, does this voice have any more questions?"

'_Tell the human woman that I will be staying near the child with the rose-colored hair,'_ Mewtwo demanded, narrowing his eyes when the boy paled. '_Now_.'

"It says this Pokemon is going to be staying with Jessie," Ash squeaked, face paling even further. "Um, is that okay?"

"Well, since this darling creature seems to have already made up his mind," Delia giggled, making everyone's mouth fall open in shock, "of course!"

Surprisingly enough, Professor Oak immediately spoke up.

"I don't think that's a good idea," the man stammered, smiling as he inched closer to the woman with raised hands and a drop of sweat on his forehead. "Delia, we have no idea what kind of Pokemon this is, and I don't think... what on earth?! LOOK!"

The man stopped talking and everyone stared when Jessie's eyes unexpectedly started glowing blue; then her mouth opened of its own accord.

"I have unintentionally linked myself with her subconscious," Jessica stated in a startlingly calm voice. "We cannot be too far apart from each other until this mistake has been corrected: whether you accommodate me or not is entirely up to you, but I will _not_ be leaving until we have separated ourselves."

For a long moment, nobody spoke... but then Brock stepped forward, seeming puzzled.

"Okay, so... how long will this process take?" he inquired, quirking an eyebrow as he folded his arms. "Do you know?"

The girl blinked in synchronicity with the Pokemon.

"I do not know," Jessica's mouth explained. "I am not even sure how it came to be."

With that, Jessica went limp and faces turned grim all over the place.

"It's just one thing after another, isn't it," Ash grumbled, mussing up his hair when the Pyschic creature floated back over to Jessie and sat down beside her. He twitched when his mother turned and looked at him with a happy smile, then shivered violently as an ominous aura wafted off of her. "Uhhh..."

"What was that, Ash?" Delia quipped, blinking at him with a motherly expression. "I didn't hear it."

"Nothing," he quickly squeaked, pulling his hat down over his head. "Nothing at all, really."

Ironically enough, in the end, he wasn't really afraid of Jessie.

In fact, the only real thing he was actually afraid of was his own mother.

Children be warned... a loving mother's wrath is a frightening thing to behold!


	8. Chapter 7: The Meaning of a Name

**The Meaning of a Name**

It was broad daylight when Jessica awoke, breathing hard with tears streaming onto her pillow. Like previous mornings, an odd warmth was pressed against her belly, and sure enough... the moment she glanced down, she was met with the sight of a familiar huge, fuzzy creature clinging to her middle. It's eyes were open and it was staring at the wall, tail flicking across the blankets now and then.

"Good morning," Jessie croaked, slowly sitting up and wiping her eyes dry of the tears; the creature didn't detach its limbs from her, but she was used to it by now. After all, two weeks had passed since the events that had happened by the lake. "Did you sleep well?"

_Your dreams prevent me from doing so,_ the creature stated simply, making the girl stare at it in a groggy fashion. _You cry far too much in your sleep for me to get any rest._

"Sorry," the girl sighed, rubbing his ears and smiling when it's eyes slid closed. "After I'm done with chores today, you can go ahead and nap if you want."

The Pokemon didn't respond, nor did it loosen it's grip on her torso.

A lot had happened and changed since Jessica had come to live with the Ketch'um family.

Ash and his friends didn't fully trust her yet, but they were slowly starting to get along. At the very least, nobody was glaring now, although conversations between Jessica and Ash were extremely rare. Brock had long-since gone back to Pewter city to visit, and since Dawn was usually out exploring, it was really only Ash, Delia, and Jessica at home.

Things had gotten progressively calmer, too.

Almost instinctively, the Mewtwo let her go and floated into the air before landing on the edge of the bed. That was another thing she'd noticed: ever since he had arrived, he never took his eyes off her. Even when others were in the room, the Psychic Pokemon was always watching what she was doing.

It didn't bother her, really, but it did make her wonder about a few things.

_What a beautiful day,_ she silently murmured, sliding out of bed and walking across the floor towards her window. After pushing it up, the girl leaned against the sill and gazed out into the morning air, blue eyes glistening in a dreamy fashion. Once again, the Pokemon behind her merely watched, sharp teal gaze ever present.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she finally asked, planting her small chin in her hand. "Delia's home is a lovely place."

"Hey, come on" Ash's voice suddenly laughed, making the girl glance down. "Catch me if you can, guys!"

Below, the boy was playing tag with the majority of his Pokemon: many of them looked kind of strange, others exotic, but all of them seemed happy. What she didn't understand, however, was why they appeared and disappeared whenever Ash threw those little red and white balls. She had been watching his actions whenever anything Pokemon related happened in front of her. Even the hot-tempered girl from the hospital, Misty, had pulled a small ball out before that star-shaped creature had appeared.

She had been debating on whether or not she should ask him what the balls were for, but considering everything that had happened in the past, she was kind of leery about it.

Aside from the ash trees, a huge cherry-tree grew outside, so close to Jessie's window that its boughs tapped against the house: it was so thick-set with blossoms that hardly a leaf was to be seen.

On both sides of the house were a few small orchards, one of apple-trees and one of cherry-trees, also showered over with blossoms; the grass beneath them was all sprinkled with dandelions. In the garden below were lilacs and other flowers, and their dizzily sweet fragrance drifted up to the window on the morning wind.

Off to the left were some distant houses and beyond them, away down over green, low-sloping fields, was a sparkling blue glimpse of the lake.

Jessica's beauty-loving eyes lingered on it all, taking everything greedily in.

This was as lovely as anything she had ever dreamed.

She knelt there, lost to everything but the loveliness around her, until she was startled by a paw on her arm. When she turned her head, she found herself staring into a set of sharp teal eyes. The creature was looking at her in blatant confusion, and judging by the way he was touching her, she figured he was trying to read her emotions.

_Why do you feel happiness when merely gazing out the window?_ the creature inquired, following her gaze. _I do not understand._

Jessica drew a long breath.

"Well, isn't it wonderful?" she asked, waving her hand at the beautiful world outside. "Everything is so bright and lively... it makes me feel nice. And this tree... it's so beautiful and fragrant that it makes my nose tingle."

_It's a tree,_ the Pokemon silently confirmed, glancing at it in confusion, _and yet, I still do not understand why it makes you happy._

"Oh, I don't mean just the tree," Jessica stated softly, setting a hand on the creature's fuzzy head and rubbing his sharp ears. "Of course it's lovely... but I meant everything. The garden and the orchards and the ash trees and the woods... the whole big, mysterious world. Don't you feel as if you could just forget all the bad things on a morning like this?"

_Some things are hard to forget,_ the Pokemon explained, looking up at the sky. _Mornings cannot make memories falter._

"Well, the things that happen each morning might be able to," Jessica sighed, going back to daydreaming. "I can hear the wind laughing in the trees even all the way up here. Have you ever noticed what cheerful things trees are? They're always laughing."

_A tree is a tree,_ the Pokemon uncertainly explained. _It is not alive, and it cannot laugh._

"Oh, but it is, and it can!" Jessica explained, glancing at him in surprise. "Didn't you know? Trees may not look it, but they're all alive. I mean, they may not be capable of conscious thought, but they're most certainly living... how do you think they grow?"

That stymied the Pokemon, and he fell silent.

In truth, there was much he still did not know about the world.

"I particularly love this cherry tree, though," the girl dreamily continued, reaching out and touching a blossom; Ash's laughter continued to flow up into her room, but for the most part, she tuned him out. "It's so pretty... like a woman in white."

_What is the name of the tree?_ Mewtwo suddenly asked.

"Eh?" Jessica murmured, glancing at him in surprise. "Well... er, it's a cherry tree."

_I don't mean that sort of a name_, the Pokemon stated, looking at the plant. _I mean the name you gave it yourself. If it is alive, it should have been given a name, correct?_

"Well, I didn't really think of it like that, but I guess you're right," the girl thoughtfully murmured, glancing at the tree. "Hmm... how about Belle?"

_Bell_? the Pokemon asked, sounding a little dismayed. _You're naming it after a chime made by humans?_

"No, not 'Bell'... '_Belle_,'" the girl laughed, glancing at him with a smile that made her eyes gleam. "It sounds the same, but it's not. Belle is another word for Beauty... Delia told me that the other day while she was reading a book called Beauty and the Growlith."

The pokemon was silent for a moment, seeming to be contemplating something.

Slowly looking at her, it blinked once and tilted its head.

_And what would my name be?_ the Mewtwo demanded, eyes narrowing when the girl blinked._ If a tree is Beauty, then what of me?_

"You mean you don't have a name?" Jessica asked, feeling highly surprised. "Why not?"

He averted his eyes, refusing to answer.

In truth, she didn't know much about the creature sitting beside her aside from what she had gathered during the rare conversations that sometimes popped up. Such as this one: aside from the occasional questions, all she really knew was that this Pokemon was practically attached to her hip. They hadn't really communicated very much, and for the first five days, he hadn't even allowed her to touch him.

He had literally slept up on the roof.

_Give me a name,_ the Pokemon commanded, almost seeming to be glaring at her. _I do not wish to be less than a plant without a soul._

Jessica shivered and a sweat-drop slid down the side of her head.

"Okay..." she murmured, turning and looking at him with curious eyes. "A name, huh?"

Slowly pushing herself away from the windowsill, the girl examined him from his head to his paws; then she took note of his pale pink and white fur, alarmingly clear blue-green eyes, and somewhat feline features. After thinking of his personality, she tried to come up with a name that suited him: he didn't like the dark, even though his personality was pretty much the embodiment of darkness itself, and sometimes... she had a strange feeling.

Now and then, Jessica felt as though this creature were lost beneath some distant shadow she couldn't see. And since she had quite a few shadows of her own, she wanted to give him a name with meaning.

Plus, the creature in front of her was by no means an animal.

He was shockingly intelligent, practically on the same level as a human being: Professor Oak had been dumbfounded by that fact in particular, since most Pokemon - while very smart and loveable - didn't have the capacity for comprehending everything that a human was capable of processing.

_What is my name?_ he demanded, sounding a little more insistent. _Tell me._

"Your name..." the girl stated thoughtfully, closing her eyes. "Hikaru. Your name is Hikaru."

_Hi... karu..._ the Pokemon silently repeated, giving a slow blink. _Does it have a meaning?_

Jessica looked at him with a smile and rubbed his ears, sighing when his eyes closed. He no longer flinched when she tried to touch him, for which she was strangely glad... and even though he'd claimed a few times that he was going to separate their consciousnesses these last two weeks, she had a weird feeling that he was hesitant to do so.

"Your name is a special one," she stated simply, finally pulling her hand back and fluffing her hair out. "It means _light_."

The Pokemon stared at her with unblinking eyes.

"Jessica?" a voice called, making the girl turn and look over her shoulder. "Are you awake?"

"Yes, Delia!" the auburn-haired girl called back. "You can come in if you want."

"Well, okay!" the woman laughed, poking her head into the room with a smile. "I just finished making breakfast, and I wanted to let you know... oh, my! Your Pokemon is glowing!"

"Huh?" the girl asked, glancing at the Mewtwo only to find that he was indeed glowing bright blue; his eyes were still facing her, but an aura had surrounded him and his teal irises were no longer visible. "Eh? Hikaru, what are you doing?!"

"Hikaru?" Delia Ketch'um asked, blinking at the two of them in confusion. "You've given him a nickname?"

"No, it's his _name_," Jessica explained, shrugging when the woman stepped inside and folded her hands. "I named him Hikaru. I think all Pokemon should have names, actually... I mean, how do you know it doesn't hurt their feelings just to be called Pokemon and nothing else? You wouldn't like to be called nothing but a woman all the time, right? _I_ wouldn't... so I named him Hikaru, because I think he's got a bright future."

"A... bright future?" Delia asked, slowly walking forward and sitting down on the bed. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I don't exactly know," Jessie explained, shrugging a second time. "I just get this feeling that the past is full of darkness. So, I've decided to make the future as bright as possible... and since he wanted a name, I gave him one with a personal meaning."

"Is that so?" Delia asked, smiling so gently that the corners of her eyes crinkled. "Well, I'm glad. It's time to eat, though."

Jessica nodded before turning and holding out her hand to the glowing Pokemon.

His eyes instantly returned to normal and the aura faded away, but for a long moment... he merely stared at her palm.

"Come on, Hikaru," she stated softly, giving him a smile. "Let's go."

For a long moment, the Mewtwo didn't move... but then, slowly... almost hesitantly... the creature set his paw in her hand.

Truthfully, the Pokemon was quite a bit larger than her: he was nearly six feet tall, and quite bulky... the size of a small Charizard at least. Still, when Jessica sat down and Ash came running into the kitchen, Delia began asking questions with her typical motherly topics and they started eating.

"Where's Dawn?" Ash asked, blinking at his mother.

"Dawn told me that she'd be back by noon," Delia kindly explained. "She left very early this morning. Be sure to eat your greens!"

"Mooom," Ash groaned, letting out a sigh. "I know that! I'm not a child!"

"I know, my little Pokemon Master," the woman giggled, then looked at them happily. "So, did everyone sleep well?"

"Yeah," Ash sighed, popping some of his waffle into his mouth. "No different than I usually do."

"I had a bad dream last night," Jessica sighed, popping a piece of bacon into her mouth. "It was about... a snowstorm, I think."

"A snowstorm?" Ash asked, looking at her with a scowl. "You mean like the one on that mountain a few years ago?"

"What mountain?" Jessica asked, blinking in surprise. "We were on a mountain together? During a snowstorm?"

"Well, not together," the boy explained, letting out a small sigh. "Back then, you were still kinda... bad. When you showed up, you were in a hot air balloon and you tried to kidnap Pikachu, but we ended up poking a hole in the cloth."

"Eh?!" Jessie asked, mouth falling open in surprise. "Isn't that dangerous, though?!"

"We had a reason," Ash dryly retorted, sighing as he thought about it. "Thinking back, I'm actually kind of impressed by all the measures you guys took trying to kidnap Pikachu. As terrible as you were... the giant robots, hidden pitfalls, cages, and submarine schemes were well-thought out... I mean, you came up with everything. I don't know how, but you did."

"I'm confused," Jessica stated seriously, swallowing with a stiff back and an awkward expression. "That seriously sounded like a compliment, but at the same time... not a very good one. I'm having some conflicted emotions here."

"It's not a good thing, but... even so, you guys were never able to take my buddy," Ash stated simply, shrugging before he rubbed Pikachu behind the ears; the little Pokemon made an adorable '_chaaaaa_' sound and nuzzled his hand. "I love him too much to let him go. Ever."

Watching his hand, Jessica took note of the emotions before glancing at the Mewtwo nibbling on some Poke food beside her.

Then, ever so slightly, she set her hand on his head and rubbed his ears the same way.

She looked uncertain for a moment, but when his eyes merely flicked up to stare at her, she relaxed and continued rubbing.

"You're lucky, Ash," she murmured; then she decided to ask a question. "Hey, can I... um... have a pokeball?"

He instantly tensed and Delia stared at her.

"Why do you want a pokeball?" he demanded, staring at her. "You already have your own Pokemon, right? Speaking of which, where IS your Wobbuffet?"

Jessie's hand froze and her face turned pale all of a sudden.

"I had a pokemon?" she asked, lifting her eyes with a frightened demeanor. "Wait... back up! What's a Wobbuffet?!"

Delia frowned and Ash gawked, not believing his ears.

"Oh, dear..." the woman murmured, shaking her head in dismay. "Don't worry, Jessie, I'm sure your Pokemon is doing okay!"

Before she could respond, Hikaru stretched out his paw and touched her arm with a single round digit.

Jessica froze when an image sped into her mind... a floppy blue thing... a familiar fin... a salute?

"_Woooobbuffet!_" a drawling Pokemon voice croaked. "_Woooobba_!"

_Do not fear,_ the Pokemon stated simply when she turned her frightened eyes on him. _He will turn up sooner or later. He is yours_.

_Do you really think so?_ the girl silently asked, going back to eating with a solemn demeanor. _He might think I abandoned him!_

The Mewtwo didn't respond, merely continued nibbling on his own food.

Thereupon Jessica held her tongue so thoroughly that her continued silence made Ash rather nervous.

As it progressed, the girl became more and more abstracted, eating mechanically with her large eyes fixed unseeingly on the sky outside the window. Even though Delia was making small talk with her son, she had an uncomfortable feeling that while Jessie's body might be there at the table, her spirit was far away in some remote place.

Truth be told, the woman figured she was most likely thinking about her lost Pokemon.

When the meal ended, Jessica came out of her reverie and offered to wash the dishes.

She did the task deftly enough, as Delia discerned: with each day that passed, she seemed to be doing things easier. Then Ash, in a surprisingly nice fashion, tossed her a Pokeball and told her that she could try to catch something if she wanted to. Jessica instantly flew to the door, face alight, eyes glowing.

Behind her, the Mewtwo followed, never taking his eyes off her.

Still, Jessie was both confused and intrigued by the little red and white Pokeball she had been given: she peered at it with one eye, poked it, and then pressed the button.

Her eyes widened when it became larger before her very eyes; when she pressed it again, the ball opened and a beam of red light shot out of it.

"This thing is so cool!" Jessica exclaimed, looking at the Pokeball with an excited expression. "So, all I have to do is throw this at a Pokemon and it becomes mine?"

'_Yes_,' the Mewtwo looming behind her unexpectedly replied. '_Give or take the situation, that is indeed how a Pokeball works.'_

"Weird," the redhead sighed, walking down the path with the ball in her arms. "I wonder what it's like in a Pokeball? They're so tiny... how do Pokemon fit in them?"

'_It's actually quite comfortable inside a Pokeball,'_ Hikaru stated, tilting his head and regarding her with inscrutable teal eyes. _'It is like... being cradled in the arms of someone very dear to you._'

"That sounds lovely, actually," Jessie mumbled, looking at the ball with thoughtful eyes. "I wonder if people can go inside a Pokeball..."

'_I do not think that is even a remote possibility,'_ Hikaru retorted, floating ahead of her and disdainfully flicking his tail.

Jessie felt a little disappointed upon hearing that.

"Bummer," she sighed, looking up at the sky; she was currently heading in the direction of the Viridian Forest, which was just outside of Pallet Town. She didn't really know where to start looking for any new Pokemon, nor did she know how to catch them, or even train them. Still, it was a nice excuse to go on a long walk, and she already planned on taking advantage of it. "Still, I guess Pokemon do have it pretty good. It must be nice to feel like that."

Something in her tone made the Mewtwo turn around... or maybe it was something in her head.

She didn't know, but for some reason, he was looking at her in perplexity.

'_You desire to experience this feeling?'_ he inquired. '_Have you never been held close by anyone?_'

Even as he asked, his eyes didn't flicker... nor did his tone waver... he didn't even blink. He merely looked at her with an intense amount of focus.

There were times when he seemed almost alien to her.

After a moment, Jessica frowned, feeling a twinge of regret running through her.

"I don't really know," she admitted, giving him a shrug before she looked up at the sky again. "I can't remember anything prior to waking up in the hospital. I'm sure I must have had an experience like that in the past, though, and all I have to do for the future is stay optimistic. Even if I have no memories of who I was, I can make new ones as the person I am right now. There are endless possibilities... honestly, I get excited when I think of the happy memories I can make for us."

It was here that the Pokemon blinked.

'_Us_?' Hikaru inquired, hovering beside her as she walked. '_What are you implying?'_

"What do you mean?" Jessie asked, feeling a tad surprised. "That should be totally obvious, right?"

The Pokemon's head tilted, but just as he was about to continue, his tail stiffened and his eyes flashed to the left towards the trees.

Landing on the ground and turning his head, the psychic Pokemon lifted a three-fingered hand and barred the redhead's path.

She looked at his arm before following his gaze, peering around him with a curious expression: she didn't seen anything out of place.

"What did you stop me for?" she asked, looking up at him. "Is something wrong?"

'_Someone is watching us,'_ Hikaru stated simply, lowering his bony arm. '_He wishes to...'_

Before he could finish, something dark leapt out of a nearby tree landed directly in front of Jessica.

The girl jumped and stiffened like a washboard when a towering figure unfolded itself and loomed over her. A hulking young man with fierce green eyes and wild orange hair was looking down at her: with a fierce grin, his eyes flashed from her to Hikaru, and he pulled a Pokeball out of his trench coat before thrusting it into her face.

"You're that girl with the strange Pokemon that everyone in Pewter City has been buzzing about, aren't you?" he demanded in a shockingly deep voice. "I challenge you to a battle, little girl. Let's see if your Pokemon can beat mine!"

Jessica blinked three times in a row, too startled to understand half of what he'd just said.

"Um... what?" she stupidly inquired, staring at the Pokeball blankly. "I'm... sorry. I don't get what you're saying."

"I'm saying I challenge you!" he retorted, grin widening even further; then he leapt away and tossed the ball. "I won't take no for an answer! Go, Arcanine!"

Jessica jumped back a step when a flash of white light exploded from the Pokeball, but her eyes widened when a striped, black and orange dog of some sort appeared out of nowhere. The Pokemon had a distinct dog-like muzzle with a round black nose: its eyes were roughly triangular in shape, with cat-like pupils. The majority of it's body was covered with bright orange fur with a jagged striped pattern, and its head, chest, legs, were also covered in light, cream colored fluffy tufts of fur.

Even as she gawked, it threw it's head back and let loose a call similar to it's own name before glaring at her.

Jessica lifted her arms and started backing away with nervous eyes.

"I think there's been some sort of misunderstanding," she stated, smiling awkwardly and waving her hands. "I-I don't really want to fight you."

"You're chickening out already?!" he barked, smirking at her. "I guess you really _are_ a weak trainer."

"Being weak has nothing to do with it!" Jessie retorted, frowning at him. "I'm just a non-confrontational person, thank you! Come on, Hikaru... let's go home."

Just as she turned to leave, however, the trainer's grin was replaced with a scowl.

"Oh, no you don't," he snapped, then lifted a finger and shouted, "Arcanine! Use Thunder Fang!"

Jessica's eyes went blank when she heard the creature howl... then the sound of a beast's rapid footsteps filled the air.

When she whirled with her arms braced, however, she realized with a jolt of horror that she was not the target.

Hikaru was.

Just as he turned, hovering in the air with a somewhat reproachful expression on his felinoid face, the redhead threw herself in front of him without even thinking about her actions. The Pokemon instantly blinked, staring at the glossy tendrils of red hair that flew in front of his eyes.

Quickly raising her arm, Jessica braced herself.

The trainer's sharp eyes widened in horror when his Pokemon's heavy jaws clamped down on her instead of Hikaru.

Then came the _crunch_... Jessie bit her lip so hard that her eyes stung, but it was nothing compared to the agony that had erupted in her forearm. The Pokemon didn't let go. In fact, not even a second after it bit down, a violent shock started surging through her entire body. She shrieked when the familiar electrical sensation zapped her, but then it was over and the beast leapt back. Jessica slowly let her arm drop and merely stared off into space, breathing hard.

"Are you _crazy_?!" the trainer shouted, looking half outraged, half scared. "Look at what you've done to yourself! Your arm! It's... it's bleeding!"

Jessica didn't respond: slowly turning her head, she looked at Hikaru to find him staring at her in disbelief.

'_Why would you risk an injury on my behalf?_' he demanded in a disbelieving tone. '_Are you a fool?_'

"Maybe... I didn't even think as I was doing it," she stated simply, giving him a shaky grin. "I don't regret it, though... this really hurts."

The Pokemon merely stared at her, not comprehending the logic.

'_That should be even more of a reason to regret it,_' he sourly rebuked. '_I do not understand the way you think._'

"It was my heart doing the thinking this time, Hikaru, not my brain," the girl groused, refusing to look at her arm. "It hurts, but the reason I don't regret it is because this injury could have been inflicted on you, instead."

"Are you nuts?" the trainer barked, lifting his arm. "Arcanine, return!"

The dog-like Pokemon vanished amidst a spray of red light; then, within seconds, the trainer hurried over and clutched her arm.

Jessica, however, jerked away from him with harsh eyes.

"Don't touch me!" she shrieked, pressing her back against Hikaru's furry chest and protectively standing her ground. "Get away from us!"

He instantly winced, face turning pale.

"I-I'm so sorry," he stated, bowing low with his fists clenched. "I think I might have been a little too... hasty. You have my sincerest apologies."

"Whatever... just go away!" Jessie grumbled, trying to keep from passing out. "If you want my forgiveness, leave!"

"As you wish," he stammered, nodding and rapidly turning around. "I should have waited until you were ready to battle... I apologize."

So saying, he leapt into the air and vanished amidst the trees.

The moment he was gone, however, Jessica's knees buckled.

She would have fallen flat on her face had two bony arms not caught her out of nowhere: upon gently being set on her backside, Hikaru hovered a small distance away plopped down beside her, paws resting limply between his legs. For a long moment, he merely stared straight ahead... not moving, not speaking, not even seeming to be breathing. Then, those sharp teal eyes flicked in her direction and he slowly turned his head to face her.

_'Why are you relieved it was not me who was injured?_' he demanded in a serious tone. '_I do not understand._'

"You dope... haven't you realized that I care about you?" Jessie mumbled, cradling her arm with a whine. "Owie... I guess it's a good thing Pikachu always shocks me, otherwise this might have hurt a lot worse. That zap he gave me was nowhere near as strong in comparison to our little friend. Still, I'm glad you're okay."

The moment she said it, the Pokemon's eyes changed.

They went from hard and calculating to something softer... something a little less harsh.

Then, those eyes started glowing bright blue: Jessie blinked when her good arm lifted itself of its own accord and stretched out to him. However, she gasped when she was jerked a little close to his side... mostly because he turned his head away and casually poked the Pokeball button with his edge of his long tail. A flash of red light instantly engulfed him... and he disappeared: in his place was a Pokeball that didn't even wriggle.

There was merely a small sound and a red flash on the button to signal the end of what had just happened.

Jessica was flabbergasted: just as she was about to grab the Pokeball, it started rolling around on its own. The redhead jumped when it blasted itself open and a flash of white light roared out of it. Soon, Hikaru melded into view once again, sitting in the same position he'd been in before.

Jessica's mouth was now hanging open.

"W-what did you... do?" she whispered, staring at her Pokeball with huge eyes. "Oh, dear... do you know what you just did?! You're my Pokemon now! Are you okay with that?!"

'_I've decided that I am going to permanently remain by your side,_' the Pokemon silently rapped out. '_Do not judge my decision. You are not the only one who decides things on instinct._'

Jessica stared at him for a moment; in return, he stared at her. Neither one speaking. Neither one knowing what to say. After a moment, though, Jessica sighed and extended her good arm: interlacing her fingers through his paw, the girl flopped down on the grass and stared at the sky, ignoring the throbbing in her arm.

"Well, I guess from today onward, you and I are stuck together in more ways than one," the redhead sleepily mumbled. "Let's make the best of it and have lots of happy memories. I'm sure if we work together, the future will be full of light... and the further we go, the more the darkness behind us will dim."

For a long moment, the Pokemon didn't respond.

'_We should return,'_ Hikaru finally spoke, slowly levitating to his feet and gently pulling her up right. '_Your arm... it is not a pleasant sight.'_

Jessica nodded, still refusing to look at it: she dizzily tried to take a step forward, but when she stumbled, a blue glow surrounded her body and her feet left the ground. She flailed a little when she was held suspended off the grass by nearly three inches.

Thus, her Pokemon carried her home using nothing but his mind.


	9. Chapter 8: To Belong

**To Belong**

The moment they arrived back at the Ketch'um family home, Delia threw a hissy fit over her arm.

"Jessica!" she exclaimed, fretting over the injury. "What on earth did you do to yourself! Oh, dear, oh... young lady, tell me what happened!"

"I kind of got challenged by a pokemon trainer... and when I tried to decline, he wouldn't let us," she sheepishly admitted, rubbing the back of her neck when the woman's eyes widened in outrage. "Long story short, he tried to make his Pokemon attack Hikaru, and I didn't really think about the repercussions when I jumped in front of him."

"This is unacceptable," the woman sighed, brown eyes angry. "How dare he attack you! Did you happen to catch his name?"

"No, actually," the redhead replied, shaking her head. "I _do_ know what he looks like, though: he had a long trench coat, bright orange hair, and dark green eyes."

"I'll give professor oak a call later on, but first, we need to make sure your bone isn't broken," Delia sighed, tenderly extending her arm and feeling along it with gentle hands; Jessica winced and bit her lip so hard that she could taste blood, but soon it was over and the woman let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! It's not broken... in fact, it's not nearly as bad as I thought it might be. All right, let's get you patched up, dear."

Right around that moment, Ash came into the kitchen from outside with Dawn close behind.

"Mom, do you need help with the dinner plates?" the dark-haired boy inquired, not looking at the two girls as he put his backpack on the table. "Dawn and I finished our training battles a little earlier than expected, so I figured we could help out here since Brock isn't back yet."

"Yes, that would be much appreciated," Delia kindly trilled, gently swabbing Jessie's arm with antiseptic before pulling a bottle of some sort off the counter. "I actually have my hands rather full at the moment."

So saying, the woman sprayed her arm with the contents; the redhead instantly gasped since a violent sting went through it.

"OW!" Jessie yelped, flailing her good arm. "Ow, ow, ow! It stings! It stings!"

"Just hold still!" Delia firmly commanded, giving her a look before grabbing a bandage out of a nearby drawer. "I'm almost done."

"Did something happen?" Dawn asked, looking at the redhead's arm with furrowed brows. "Why are you bandaging her arm?"

"Some rogue trainer apparently attacked her after she refused a Pokemon battle," Delia explained, not taking her eyes off the task at hand. "After I patch up her arm, I'm giving Professor Oak a call to talk about it. She's lucky her arm wasn't broken... I don't know what bit her, but it had a rather large jaw."

"She got bit by something?" Ash scoffed, eyebrows shooting up into his hat. "How bad?"

"Well, she was bleeding when she got here," Delia sighed, fastening the bandage closed. "But it's nothing a little love and care won't heal."

"What kind of pokemon was it?" Ash asked, looking a little skeptical. "There aren't many trainers around here who have Pokemon that can bite hard enough to draw blood."

"He called it... an Arcanine, I think," Jessie explained, furrowing her brows. "It was big and orange, with black stripes."

"Why would he challenge Jessie, though?" Dawn asked, looking rather confused. "She doesn't even have a Pokemon."

"Oh, actually... about that," the girl sheepishly mumbled, scratching her nose and glancing at her Mewtwo. "After that guy ran off, Hikaru kind of pressed the button on the Pokeball you gave me and purposely caught himself. As of today, I think he's my very first Pokemon."

"Whoa! What?!" Ash exclaimed, eyes widening in shock. "No way! You're telling me you... you caught him?! You caught a _Mewtwo_?!"

"Well, yeah, I think," Jessica stated, looking a little confused. "Isn't that how it works?"

Everyone was silent, and nobody looked comfortable for some reason.

However, it was in that moment that Jessica's eyes began to glow blue and her face relaxed in an almost expressionless manner. Slowly hovering forward, Hikaru towered behind her and set his paws on both of her shoulders with brightly glowing eyes. Everyone in the room watched as he blinked, because the moment he did so, Jessica did the same.

"I have decided to connect myself to this child in a way that stretches beyond that of the mind," Hikaru quietly hissed, speaking through the redhead's mouth; the words came out in an almost robotic tone. "Nothing you do nor say shall change this reality. This child is mine now, just as I am hers. Accept it or not: what you do from here is of little concern to me."

With that, he let go of her shoulders and the glow in her eyes twinkled out.

Jessica blinked and looked around, seeming to be a little confused and disoriented.

"What happened?" she asked, blinking at everyone and frowning when she noticed their expressions. "Why are you all looking at me like that? Stop it... it's creepy."

"Well, I guess it's settled," Delia cheerfully exclaimed, clasping her hands. "She needs a training license. We'll go get the application from Professor Oak tomorrow. Now, let's get the table set up and eat before the food gets cold!"

So saying, everyone scurried to do just that... but after the food was gone, Hikaru hovered over to the door and opened it with his mind before floating outside. Feeling rather curious, Jessica slipped away from clean-up duty and followed him out into the darkening world: the sun had already slipped below the horizon, and twilight had quickly fallen across the sky.

Hikaru was standing in the center of the garden, staring up at the sky with eyes she didn't understand.

Silently, she walked up and stood beside him, following his gaze.

"Something wrong?" the girl asked.

'_Darkness is everywhere I look,'_ he stated calmly, not lowering his eyes. '_Do you truly believe the future can hold such light that even these shadows vanish_?'

Jessica took a deep breath and quietly let it out.

"Even in the dark, there are places filled with light," Jessica murmured, lifting her bandaged arm and pointing at the sky. "See that?"

His eyes followed her finger until his gaze fell across the moon, which was slowly becoming visible.

'_Yes... it is the moon,_' Hikaru confirmed. '_A celestial object that reflects the light of the sun. But that is not true light... the luminescence it gives off is a lie_."

"True," Jessica agreed, lowering her arm. "But you know? The moon is so far that it's unreachable... the light we're seeing is not our own. Even if it is just a reflection, it isn't the light either of us need... but it's so beautiful that we can't help but admire it, right? Now, look..."

When he glanced at her, she slowly turned and pointed behind them: far up in the shadows, a cheerful light gleamed out through the trees from Delia's kitchen.

'_What of it?_' he inquired, not comprehending. '_Is it not simply the kitchen?'_

"It's more than just that: see the light coming from that window?" Jessica asked, waiting until he nodded to lower her arm. "That light is _our_ light, Hikaru... even from here, we can see it. And no matter what happens... no matter we go... no matter how dark everything around us is... as long as that light is shining a path for us, this world will never be completely dark. I have faith in that."

Slowly tilting his head, the Pokemon regarded her with a skeptical expression.

'_Your words... they have a queer ring of truth to them,'_ he informed her. '_Perhaps you are correct. I cannot deny I feel a certain warmth from that building.'_

"That's because it's lovely to be home and know it's home," Jessica laughed; then, she suddenly came close to him and slipped her small white hand into his three-fingered palm. When he looked at her again, she gently squeezed his bony, inhuman hand and stated, "I love this place, Hikaru... and even though I know that the road ahead is going to be bumpy, I somehow have this gut feeling that we'll make it through whatever comes our way. Together."

Something warm and unexpectedly pleasant welled up in the Pokemon's heart at touch of that thin little hand in his own.

Its very unaccustomedness and sweetness disturbed him.

'_You are a very foolhardy and naive little girl,'_ Hikaru silently reprimanded, lifting his eyes to the sky once again, '_but... I feel as though you are correct.'_

"Good," Jessica murmured, patting the pokeball resting in her pocket. "Let's go home now."

So saying, the duo turned and headed back to Delia's home, unaware of the all adventures looming over the horizon.

Unaware of everything that awaited them.


	10. Chapter 9: Dream Melody

**The Dream Melody**

Just like always, it happened abruptly.

Without warning, Jessica's large blue eyes snapped open wide and she gasped, shivering as the tears streamed down her ashen cheeks. Hikaru merely tightened his grip on her waist, refusing to look at her face for fear of seeing her eyes full of the terror and agony he knew would be there. He had seen the girl's petrified expression only once before, the first time she'd awoken in fear, on the same night he'd finally decided to sleep in her room.

He never wanted to see that expression on her face again.

He kept his bony arms locked around her until the shivering subsided, and even after that, for there was nothing more he could do.

"Hikaru... I'm sorry for waking you," she sniffled, slowly lifting her bandaged arm and rubbing her eyes before carefully sitting up. "I apologize."

He didn't respond; nor did he let go.

Merely stared at the wall with lightly glowing eyes.

Jessica slowly turned her head, looking out the window. With all the drama going on, there hadn't been much time to think about it, but ever since she had awoken in the hospital, Jessica had been having a recurring dream that confused and worried her.

Mostly because it made absolutely no sense.

She would hear a young, beautiful voice singing a very haunting melody over and over… it wasn't like anything she'd ever really heard before, and it wasn't actually anything she'd ever choose to listen to presently. It was the type of music that someone might end up hearing at a funeral.

And yet, that reason alone was why she couldn't get the tune out of her mind.

The dream always ended in a flash of violet light that pulsed and seemed to draw her toward it. The luminescence felt like a promise, a beckoning that seemed to tell her that everything would be fine. But there was always this yearning... this frantic desire to save the light that was calling her.

Jessie would stretch her hands out to it, trying to believe it so that she could rescue the light and be happy forever, but when her fingers would finally touch it she would feel an abrupt shock. Every time, she would wake up and freeze with terror, already crying her eyes out. For some reason, though, after she'd woken up, she'd always forgotten what the melody sounded like.

Until now, that is.

And the very memory of it's haunting notes weighed on her heart with an alarming amount of sadness.

"Hikaru," Jessica murmured, slowly setting a hand on his head. "I think I remembered some of the dream this time..."

His arms stiffened and his eyes twitched, but aside from that he didn't move.

'_What do you recall?_' he inquired.

"A song..." she murmured, shivering somewhat. "A very sad, lonely song. A little girl was singing, I think... I can barely remember it."

She sat there for a very long moment, wondering about the dream song and about the sadness it made her feel.

Then she glanced at her clock and sighed, since it was still only three in the morning. Setting a gentle hand on the Mewtwo's head, she rubbed his fuzzy ears and closed her eyes, feeling grateful for the bond she had with him.

She still didn't understand the current situation, and the strangeness of having him inside her head still caught her off guard sometimes... but even so, he'd made everything easier.

For example... every morning, she awoke with him just like this, holding her tightly. Just having him beside her had become a great comfort. After all, her thoughts and emotions were completely open to his mind, so he knew her desires more than anyone else.

For Jessica, this part of her life was delightful: Hikaru was as real and complex as any person. His personality was straightforward, and at times completely alien... but his actions and thoughts constantly revealed new aspects of his character. For example, he was a truly gentle creature beneath the hard stares and wary expressions, and for all his pessimism... he had a faint flicker of kindness within his eyes.

After another ten minutes of rubbing, his grip loosened and he floated away from her to rest on the floor.

For a long moment, he looked up at her, blue green eyes rippling in the moonlight.

'_This song you mentioned..._' he telepathically muttered, eyes flashing momentarily, '_what does it sound like_?'

"It doesn't have words," she stated simply, swallowing as she thought about it. "It's just a tune... really."

'_Show me_,' he commanded, making her blink. '_Perhaps the song has meaning. Give me your hand and let me see into your mind.'_

"Are you sure?" Jessica asked, looking uncertain for a moment. "I mean, it's just a dream, right?"

_'I do not know_,' he silently replied, floating up and gently setting his three-fingered digits against her cheek. _'I wish to see for that very reason._'

Thus, he focused his mind and his eyes shone blue.

A vision immediately overtook him.

_Jessica sat before him, pale skin glowing under the light of the moon: shafts of violet luminescence streamed through the windows, illuminating her fingers as they flew over the keys of the grand piano—creating an incrediblly haunting melody with seamless grace and eloquence._

_Her calf-length red hair was a waterfall of fire that cascaded down her slender shoulders, wove down her back, and hung below the stool she was sitting on to pool on the floor. _ _He recognized this melody... he had heard it before, right before he'd erased her memories._

_For some reason, though, Jessica seemed to be growing smaller in his vision... almost like something were pulling her away from him._

_Even her voice was becoming hauntingly distant._

_Then, with a flash, they were hovering in the sky._

_The Pokemon trembled when the air around them turned dark and filled with black storm clouds; below him was the earth, but despite that, rain started flying up from the ground towards the heavy clouds that were swirling above him._

_The rain was falling up instead of down... _

_When an ominous rumble of thunder filled the sky, Jessica's fingers slowly came to a halt and she silently stood up._

_For a long moment, the girl said nothing... but then, she slowly turned her head and shot a glance over her shoulder._

_He was winded._

_Yes, he'd seen that look before... it had been on the faces of the one who'd tormented him in blood and darkness. _ _He'd seen that look being directed at him every single day from the moment he'd been born. There was no way he'd never be able to forget it._

_Empty, emotionless, and hollow in every way... she looked as though she'd lost the will to live._

_Then her frighteningly cold expression weakened in a way that made him feel ill: her eyes had gone from being dead and cold to the eyes of a little girl who'd been put through too much pain. Tears started streaming down her cheeks when she turned and lifted a hand to him... but then, just as he was about to lift his own hand, she dropped her arm. Her eyes unexpectedly went blank of all feeling... and she smiled at him with an innocent little grin._

_A doll's smile._

_He remained frozen when she began to come closer._

_Barely a foot from him, she faced him with eyes that he couldn't see._

_"Help me," she said quietly, lifting her arms and wrapping them around his neck. She then buried her face against his furry chest and held him in a frail embrace. "Help me... please, I'm begging... don't leave me here..."_

_Hikaru's eyes widened when gravity returned to her body; the girl clutched his shoulders and hung limply above the world resting so far below._

_Only her grip on him was keeping her from falling to her death._

_'Stop...' he silently commanded, feeling his heart hammering harder and harder. 'Do not move...'_

_"I'm still waiting for someone to come rescue me," the girl whispered brokenly, hands slipping off his body; she fell away from him, arms outstretched and hair billowing around her slender form. Her tears fell up and landed on his face as she grew smaller and smaller. "Help me... Jessie..."_

_With that, he was falling too... the ground was rushing up to meet him._

_Jessica grew closer, and closer... and just as he stretched his arms out, she smiled._

_He jolted when her tears rained on his face._

_Stretching his arms out, he reached for the girl in front of him... but then he realized something wasn't right._

_The girl in front of him wasn't Jessie._

_Eyes flashing, he waved his arm and destroyed the illussion. _ _Her appearance shifted with a flash and he saw a dark-skinned girl with large green eyes looking at him, black hair billowing around._

_Her entire body was glowing brilliantly with violet light... her crimson dress billowed around violently as she held out her arms. Even so, he snatched her around the middle just before they..._

A violent shock swept through his digits, making him jerk away from Jessica almost immediately. The girl blinked at him when he stared at his trembling paws, teal eyes shaken.

He knew where that vision had come from... he had tried to see into her mind, but the majority of what he'd just seen could have been classified as an entirely new dream since his own subconscious had added onto it, using the memories he had stolen from her as a base.

Still, he figured he understood why she was always so upset and afraid every morning now. He had felt the same way after coming to.

"Are you okay?" Jessica finally asked. "Did you hear the song?"

It took him a moment to respond.

'_Yes_,' he silently confirmed. '_I did. Forgive me, but I must... be alone._'

"Eh?" she asked. "Well, okay... but..."

Tail lashing out, he floated towards the window and zipped outside, presumably heading for the roof. Jessica looked at the floor for a long moment after he was gone... then slowly stood up and walked into the living room, where she curled up on the couch and buried her chin in her knees.

She sat there for a long time, wondering about things.

Simple things.

Complex things.

But mostly about the song.

The song that kept haunting her.

It was around five in the morning when Dawn walked into the room with Pikachu following close behind. When the azure-haired girl flicked on the kitchen light, she was startled to see the redhead sitting on the couch.

The girl didn't even seem to notice.

Letting out a sigh of dismay, Dawn grabbed a bottle of water and jumped over the back of the couch, sitting down next to her with a soft groan.

Pikachu was instantly at her side, looking wary, but not too hostile.

"Hello," Jessica questioningly greeted, glancing at the other girl with a blank expression. "Couldn't sleep, either?"

"My watch alarm just went off, actually," she replied, rubbing her neck with an uncomfortable look on her face. "It's five in the morning."

"Oh," Jessica murmured, turning away and hiding her face with her hair. "Okay."

The two girls sat there in silence, one lost in thought and the other uncomfortable.

"Look… I'm sorry for everything that happened when we first... met," Dawn uneasily stated, giving the redhead a solemn look. "We shouldn't have overreacted like that... I feel bad since we kind of drove you into a corner, and I know Ash feels awful for making you… you know, cry."

"Don't even try it!" Jessica instantly retorted, making her stiffen a bit. "Don't apologize to me... please. In truth, I know deep down that I don't deserve the kindness I'm being given. And after everything I've heard about myself, I'm pretty sure _I_ should be the one apologizing right now, not _you_! I'm really, really, really sorry! I... I'm just… _sorry_!"

"It's okay, really!" the blue-haired girl protested, flailing her arms when the redhead drew her legs up to her chest and buried her face in her knees. "Delia told us that you don't have your memories, right? The way I see it, you're a new person... you have a clean slate, Jessica!"

"That doesn't make what I've done in the past okay," Jessie retorted dejectedly, blue eyes sad; they sat together in silence for several long moments before the redhead lifted her eyes. "The worst part is not knowing how to attone for all the bad things I've done. I mean, will you guys even be able to trust me?"

Dawn didn't know what to say when she bit her lip and waited for an answer.

"You earned some of our trust by proving your genuinity," the girl stated thoughtfully, then added with a grin, "now you just have to be yourself, I guess—which means not hiding in your room all the time with that big, weird pokemon of yours! After today, you'll have an official license and you'll be a real pokemon trainer! Speaking of which, where _is_ that big guy?"

"He went outside to sit on the roof again," Jessie explained, sliding a hand through her long hair and relishing in the cold, satin-like sensation that brushed against her skin. "He does that now and then at night."

"I still can't believe he caught himself and told us off the way he did," Dawn murmured, shaking her head and rubbing Pikachu's ears. "It's kind of incredible when you think about it... most Pokemon are reluctant to be caught."

"I guess so," Jessica murmured. "I'm just glad that he saved me. I would have... d-drowned... if he hadn't."

That statement was met with silence.

"Hey, later on today... after you get your license," Dawn murmured, drinking her water. "Brock is coming back from Pewter City. And he's planning on throwing you a party to celebrate the fact that you've become an official trainer."

"Eh?" Jessica asked, looking at her in surprise. "Really?"

"Yeah... anyway, I'm gonna go back to bed," the girl stated, getting up with a yawn. "G'night."

"Wait!" Jessica squeaked, leaping to her feet. "I have something I want to ask you!"

"Okay, what is it?" she asked, turning with a somewhat curious expression.

"I've... been having some strange dreams recently," Jessie mumbled, awkwardly fidgeting and keeping her eyes averted. "I have a feeling that they might be tied to my past, so... I was wondering if you could sing me some songs that sound sad and haunting?"

Dawn blinked three times in a row and cocked her head.

"Hah?" she scoffed, looking at the redhead in confusion. "I don't know any songs like that. I'm from the Sinnoh region, too... I don't think any of my favorite songs have ever been heard here in Kanto. I mean, if Pokemon from this region are just being discovered in my homeland, other things such as music and pop culture probably haven't traveled between countries, either. I'm actually kind of shocked by all the new Pokemon I've been seeing."

"Oh," Jessie murmured, countenance falling. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't be," Dawn chuckled, then sighed and added, "especially since I wouldn't have even come to Kanto if you hadn't been here."

"Eh?" the redhead asked, looking up in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"I'd have stayed behind in Sinnoh if Ash hadn't been so worried about Mrs. Ketch'um," she explained, giggling a little. "My mother wanted me to stay, but the news was alarming enough to make me change my mind. So, here I am... seeing new Pokemon all over the place. It's actually REALLY cool."

"I bet," Jessie murmured, eyes lighting up. "It must be wonderful to go out and see the world... I kind of envy you."

"Well, why don't we go out and do some exploring together, then?" Dawn gushed, jumping over with a grin. "It would be a learning experience for both of us! Oh, and you should definitely bring Hikaru along!"

"You know his name?" Jessica asked, blinking in surprise.

"Delia told us," she explained, giving a laugh. "Hey, after you get your license, why don't we head to the next town over and go shopping?"

"Shopping?" the redhead murmured in confusion. "I don't have any money though..."

"That's okay! I got ya covered this time around if ya want," Dawn exclaimed, giving a coy salute; Pikachu's ears twitched right around that moment and he turned his head, looking at the half-hidden hall entrance. "Think of it as an exclusive bonding trip."

"Okay," Jessica finally conceded. "In all honesty, it sounds like fun... but I really don't need much."

"Great!" Dawn laughed, giving her a wave. "I'm gonna go back to sleep for a few more hours. Night Jess."

Then she was gone.

After the girl was gone, the redhead sighed sadly and lay down on one of the cushions before staring blankly up at the ceiling: she didn't think she would ever be able to sleep. The song was weighing heavily on her heart and mind... and for whatever reason, it was stuck in her head now.

So, with nothing better to do, she decided to sing it.

Opening her mouth, the first few notes came floating out of her mouth, bringing tears to her eyes inexplicably.

She was just about to stop singing when a glass teacup shattered on the ground. Jumping upright and whirling around, Jessica saw that Delia was staring straight at her with wide eyes and a pale hand clamped over her mouth. Her brown eyes were huge and she appeared to be completely stunned.

Struggling to stay calm, Delia knelt down to grab the shattered fragments of her cup and turned around.

"That song… I haven't heard it in quite a long time," Mrs. Ketch'um stated quietly. "Still, of all the things could have remembered, why was it that? It's... alarming. Very alarming, but so... so very, very sad. You... you must have had a... very sorrowful history... to know that song, Jessica. I'm so sorry."

The girl blinked when the woman turned around.

Her eyes widened in horror since tears were streaming down her cheeks.

Stepping forward, Delia sat down beside her and gently pulled her into an embrace, rocking her back and forth.

"M-Mrs. Ketch'um?" Jessica asked. "What's wrong?"

"I hope, for your sake," the woman whispered, cradling her tightly, "that you never remember your past. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss."

Jessica instantly froze and turned to look at her.

"Why?" she whispered. "I mean, I know I was a bad person and all, but why are you wording it like that?"

"Listen… I don't know what happened to you, or even why you became a criminal," Delia stated, rubbing her eyes, "but the the fact that you know that song, even if it's only on a subconscious whim, speaks volumes to me... Jessica, do you even know what that song _represents_?"

"No, why?" she stammered, feeling suddenly afraid; something large and dark was looming within her. "What does it stand for?"

Delia turned her eyes away and wiped her nose with a tissue.

"It's a song that dates back generations, a song created by Pokemon," the brunette explained. "It's called the Medley of Mourning... it originated in Lavender town, over a hundred years ago, after a huge rockslide killed a group of Cubone's parents. The Legend says that their surviving babies gathered there and cried... that their wailing formed the very song we know today."

Jessica shivered violently in horrified awe.

"That's awful," she whispered, hugging herself with shaky limbs. "Those poor babies..."

"That alone is why the song itself is only taught to... to..." Delia trailed off and sniffles. "I can't... I'm so sorry, Jessica..."

"What? Tell me," she pleaded, clutching the woman's arm. "Please?"

"No, it's best that you not know," she sniffed, giving her one final hug before standing up. "Go get some rest now. You don't want to be tired for your big day. Oh, and... please... don't sing that song anymore. There's no need."

Delia left before she could respond.

After a few moments of huddling on the couch, the redhead headed down the hall.

Her footfalls were nearly silent on the floor, and when she came to her room, she gently knocked and waited for an answer. There was no reply, so the girl merely let herself in and leaned against the door, rubbing her streaming eyes and sniffling. Hikaru was lying on the bed with his eyes closed and his tail curled around him.

He looked as exhausted as Jessica felt.

Shivering violently, the redhead slowly moved forward and slid onto the mattress beside him, snuggling under the covers and pressing her back against his broad, furry chest: warmth immediately engulfed her being and she instantly felt relaxed.

In an instant, his bony arms extended and wrapped around her, holding her close. Her muscles slowly began to feel heavy and her tired eyes slid closed: in the end, she'd felt safest beside Hikaru... why or how, she didn't know, but she needed him. Hopefully, things would get better... but her heart was weak.

She didn't have much hope.

But the hope she _did_ have was strengthened simply because Hikaru, her Pokemon, was right there to hold her when she needed it the most. And because of that, she loved him.

She truly did.


	11. Chapter 10: The Pokedex

**The Pokedex**

When Jessica woke up, it was only because something warm twitched against her back.

Then she happened to notice an odd sort of warmth emanating from behind her.

The girl flinched when the twitching motion came again, but the moment she realized something warm was also resting against her stomach, she lifted her head; it was only a few seconds later that she realized she could only open her eyes half-way. After a moment of baby-like struggling against her exhaustion, she mewled in defeat and let her head plop back down on the pillow.

She hadn't even realized how tired her body really was until that moment.

Jessica struggled to open her eyes for several minutes, but she weakly gave up the futile attempt to wake up.

Until she felt something warm wrapped around legs, that is.

Slowly opening her eyes, Jessica blinked at the wall with blurry vision before glancing down. Hikaru's bony arms were around her waist like always, but farther down towards the edge of the blankets was a huge pillow-sized bulge. Blinking rapidly, the girl gently lifted the blankets and peered underneath them, but her blue eyes gentled when she realized it was only his large tail. Sometime during the night, he'd apparently wrapped it around her lower legs and feet. Little things like this only made her appreciate him more than she already did.

Somehow, he'd known that her feet sometimes grew cold in the night.

Slowly lifting his heavy arm and turning over on her other side, Jessica gently buried her face against his fuzzy chest and closed her eyes again. Hikaru was still sleeping, but even so he was practically cradling her body in his arms. He was breathing slowly and evenly, his teal eyes were shut, and his feline features were soft. She couldn't really fathom or understand her current situation, but there was a small part of her that was slowly beginning to feel comfortable.

She was beginning to feel that, even without knowing her past, she would be somehow be okay.

Part of it was definitely because of Hikaru... ever since they day he'd shown up, nobody had been bothering her. The majority of the reason, however, was basically because of what Delia had said just the previous evening. Those words were ringing in her ears even now... even more than the haunting dream song she'd been hearing in her sleep. She would be okay: no matter who she had been, or how many bad things she had done, she would be okay. Little by little, one step at a time, she would do good things to make up for all the bad.

Feeling slightly more awake, the girl opened her eyes and slowly pushed back, yawning a little.

Hikaru's eyes were still closed.

After watching him sleep for a moment, the redhead lifted her small hand and touched his furry cheek with gentle fingers: his left ear twitched a little, but aside from that he didn't stir. She smiled and lowered her arm again, snuggling closer and letting out a sigh: her room was always rather chilly in the morning, so she was actually kind of grateful to have such a big and warm Pokemon sleeping beside her now. Still, it couldn't last forever: according to the clock, it was almost nine in the morning.

She had to get up because today was the the day she got her official license.

In reality, Jessica was so excited that she could barely contain it.

After nuzzling his soft fur, the girl finally let out a sigh: with gentle movements, she slowly lifted Hikaru's long arm off of her, slid her skinny legs out of the coiling loop his tail had made, and gently rolled out of his grasp. Since she didn't want to wake him up just yet, she moved quietly. Smoothing out her rumpled pajamas, Jessica tiptoed over to her closet and pulled out one of the dresses that Delia had given her.

It was a pale yellow dress with spaghetti straps and frilly white trim on the skirt, which ended just below her knees.

In a word, it was very... summery.

And more than a little breezy.

Shedding her pajamas, the girl slid the dress on and pulled her hair long hair through the hole before fluffing it away from her torso. After she was dressed, the girl opened her bedroom window and took in a sweet breath of fresh air. Then, feeling refreshed, she turned around and padded back over to the bed, kneeling down in front of it and setting her head on her arms. In front of her, her Mewtwo continued sleeping, chest rising and falling rhythmically. She stayed there, watching him dream away with soft eyes.

Supposedly, Hikaru was apparently a very uncommon Pokemon.

She'd heard Brock talking to Ash about how strange it was that he'd chosen to stick near her, but in all honesty, she was more grateful than alarmed. Mostly because it was indeed very strange that he'd chosen her, of all the people he could have found, to be his trainer. Not that she knew much about training, or even that she thought he needed any... she thought he was perfectly fine the way he was. Personally, she wouldn't change him for the world. But it was the principle of the situation that had her mind wondering why it had been her, of all people.

Why choose a former criminal with acute amnesia to be your trainer?

She didn't know.

Still, these were unanswerable questions for now.

Tenderly lifting a hand, Jessica reached out and started stroking his ears, smiling a little when his body twitched.

"Hikaru..." she murmured, setting her palm against the side of his muzzle. "It's morning..."

After another moment, his eyes opened and focused on her.

_'I am almost painfully_ _aware,' _he silently retorted, blinking once and slowly levitating to an upright position. '_I did not get enough rest.'_

"I'm sorry," Jessica sighed, gently getting up and sitting down beside him. "I probably should have waited to wake you, but I'm excited."

He didn't respond, merely curled up into a ball in midair and closed his eyes again.

He didn't seem to have any inclination to wake up just yet.

Smiling softly, the redhead stretched her hand out and gently rubbed his ears again: he didn't respond to the touch for several moments, but eventually his eyes slid open. Without moving his head, the Pokemon looked at her with his sharp gaze.

'_Why do you feel the need to do this?' _he inquired, looking at her intensely. _'I do not understand your need for excessive physical contact.'_

Jessica paused as she thought about it.

"I don't know," she murmured, standing back up and smoothing her skirt. "I guess I just like doing it now and then."

Hikaru raised his head and plopped down on the bed, looking perplexed.

'_You are a very strange child,' _he stated, watching as she walked over to the door and opened it.

"I know," she sighed, looking at him over her shoulder. "Let's go eat breakfast, Hikaru."

His sharp eyes twitched and widened a little when she turned around and held out her hand.

That was the moment it happened.

In that instant, the room brightened and a breeze swept into it from the open window, carrying several white cherry blossoms across his vision. Hikaru's sharp teal eyes snapped open wide and he felt his heart thump violently inside his chest when a strange feeling came across the bond the two of them shared: he stared when the wind rippled through her auburn hair, illuminating it like fire.

The Pokemon couldn't look away from her eyes: it was like he had been enchanted by them.

However, his heart thumped a second time when she walked over and clasped his three-fingered paw.

All of a sudden, it was like the world had dissolved.

Hikaru sat still as a statue as his heartbeat began to slow, eventually coming to a near halt as he gazed into those pools of blue; he felt the room, the house—the world in general—dissolving into azure sparkles that soon meshed into darkness, leaving him alone inside of it. It was like he was seeing the sun for the first time ever, so clear and bright that it was blinding.

"Hikaru?" Jessie asked, looking at him in concern. "Are you all right?"

The Pokemon simply cocked his head to the side with an uncomprehending expression.

Letting out a sigh, Jessie wordlessly pulled him upright and tugged him toward the door: Hikaru hovered behind her, barely even noticing. He felt as though he had just discovered something unbelievably precious, only he didn't know what it was and had no idea what to do with it. For some reason, he couldn't look away from Jessie: he suddenly felt like just being near her would actually keep him safe.

Which was utterly preposterous since she was as helpless as any other human.

And yet...

And yet, when they walked into the kitchen and Delia sat them down next to Ash and Dawn with two plates of food at the ready, merely looking at Jessica out of the corner of his eye gave him an odd sense of comfort. Everything about this new sensation was strange to him. He didn't comprehend it at all. Still, he remained silent as always and nibbled on his Pokefood without question.

However, it was during this meal that Ash spoke up, drawing everyone's attention.

"Mom, I'm going with Jessie to see Professor Oak," he abruptly stated, setting his fork down. "I have some things I need to do at his lab."

"Is that so?" Delia asked, smiling. "Well, that's wonderful news! Be sure to show Jessie the way!"

"I will," Ash sighed, then glanced at Dawn. "Once we're finished eating, we'll get ready to head out."

"Oh, I almost forgot, Ash," Delia gasped, getting up and hurrying over to the counter. "One of your friends is coming to visit today. She gave me a call around six in the morning from Cerulean City saying she would be here by noon or earlier."

"Cerulean City?" Ash asked, furrowing his brows in puzzlement; then his face lit up. "Misty?!"

"Who's Misty?" Dawn asked, giving him a curious stare.

"One of my oldest friends and traveling companions," Ash explained, getting up and washing his plate. "She's the leader of the Cerulean Gym."

"Eh?!" the sapphire-haired girl asked, eyes excited. "Wow, you had a Gym Leader traveling with you?!"

"Yeah, but only because Pikachu and I have bad luck with bikes," he sighed, wincing a bit. "Well, we can go whenever you guys are ready."

Jessie, who had been paying more attention to their conversation than her food, instantly scarfed her breakfast down and hurried to wash her plate. Once that was finished, she followed Dawn and Ash outside, waving Hikaru along. The Mewtwo instantly floated over to her side and glided down the path with folded arms, keeping pace with her footsteps.

The walk was quiet, but scenic.

Jessie took it all in with wondering eyes, but after a moment her gaze returned to Hikaru: he was as stoic as ever, but he seemed to have a little more energy than she was used to seeing. Every now and then, his tail flicked around and his ears would twitch. Still, for the moment, he seemed rather calm. Jessie, on the other hand, was feeling rather excited since she would be a real trainer by the end of the day.

So excited, in fact, that she started humming the Mourning Song without even realizing she was doing it.

Dawn glanced back at her in curiosity for a moment, but Ash actually froze in his tracks.

Still, Jessica didn't notice anything was amiss until Hikaru's head whipped around.

She instantly stopped singing and blinked when she noticed everyone had stopped moving in order to stare at her.

"What's wrong?" the redhead asked. "Is something the matter?"

"I thought you didn't have any memories," Ash stated seriously. "If you really don't, how do you know that song? I've only ever heard it once."

"Oh, um... I kind of keep hearing it over and over again in my dreams," Jessica sheepishly admitted. "I don't know why, though. I asked Mrs. Ketch'um about it, but she only got upset and asked me not to sing it anymore. Still, I can't get it out of my head, so it kinda slipped out."

"You mean you haven't been to Lavender Town?" Ash demanded.

"No, why?" Jessica asked, blinking rapidly in confusion. "Is that bad?"

"No," the trainer sighed, flicking his cap up. "It's just strange, that's all."

The redhead frowned and turned to look at Hikaru, planning to ask for his opinion, but she paused once she realized something.

He was keeping one eye to the trees behind them with a sharp expression.

"Are you okay?" Jessie whispered, setting a hand on his furry arm. "You seem tense..."

His eyes landed on her for a moment, then flicked to stare behind them again.

'_I am well,'_ the Pokemn retorted. '_Do not concern yourself with my behavior. It is a trivial matter.'_

_'If you say so,_' Jessica silently replied, shrugging.

It was still early when they reached Professor Oak's lab, but when Ash opened the front door and waltzed inside without hesitation, the rest of them followed a bit more slowly. The air inside was pleasantly warm. Jessie's eyes slowly widened with wonder when she saw shelves full of pokeballs lining the walls. There was also a line of waist-high transporter machines spread out near every stationed pokeball shelf.

"Professor Oak?" Ash called. "Hello? Professor Oak?"

"Up here, Ash!" a familiar voice called; when Jessie glanced up, she jumped in alarm and clutched Hikaru's arm since the poke-professor had been strung up to the ceiling with some sort of green pod. "I'm glad you came! Could you possibly cut me out of this? I'm afraid one of the Metapods I was tending to got a little overzealous with its enthusiasm."

"Sure, professor," Ash sighed, reaching for a pokeball; however, before he could touch it, Hikaru's entire body shone bright blue and the webbing virtually exploded. Professor Oak blinked rapidly for a few moments, suspended in midair by a shimmering azure aura... but then he was slowly lowered to the ground. Ash blinked, glancing back and forth between the man and the Mewtwo. "Uh... never mind."

"Thank you," Samuel Oak sniffed, rubbing his nose. "Also, I appreciate your coming, Ash. There's going to be more work than I can handle with the new Pokemon transfers, especially since Tracy is visiting his family back home. Now, Jessica... I believe you're here for a Pokemon Training license, correct? Are you ready to receive it?"

"Yes!" the redhead confirmed, folding her hands. "I'm very ready!"

"Wonderful! You'll be registered in just one moment!" the man cheerfully explained, grabbing a small, square red thing and holding it in her direction. After a moment, he touched some buttons before turning to Hikaru and scanning the creature into the system; Jessica shifted her feet when she noticed his smile seemed a bit forced after it was over. "See?"

"Are we already done?" Jessie asked in confusion. "I thought it would have taken longer."

"You're ready to go," Professor Oak sighed, handing her the Pokedex. "You can take it now. The Pokedex is a useful tool that will guide you through the proper care of your Pokemon. It also registers data on the Pokemon you have caught or seen: just hold it out and the device will scan any Pokemon within a mile radius if it's in your direct line of vision."

"Eh?" the redhead whispered, wonderingly looking at the screen. "Wow..."

"If you have any further questions, simply ask Ash," the man stated quietly. "He can answer them just as well as I can now."

"Congratulations, Jess!" Dawn stated, beaming at her. "You're officially a Pokemon trainer."

The redhead's blue eyes widened and she grinned before whirling around and lunging at Hikaru: the Mewtwo merely lowered his eyes and gazed at her when she clung to him and nuzzled the fur on his chest. However, her eyes were shining when she looked at him.

"Isn't this great?" Jessica asked, beaming at him. "We're partners from today onwards!"

His eyes sharpened... then softened.

He was too proud to return the embrace, so instead he merely let her hug him: in the end, this was why he had chosen her.

Jessica saw him as an equal... not a servant.

However, when the professor led Ash to where they would be working, Dawn suggested that they head over to Viridian City to go shopping.

So, finally letting go of Hikaru, the three of them left the lab without further ado.

Dawn kept an even pace with Jessica as she led the way towards the Viridian Forest.

"So, where are we going?" the redhead asked, looking up at the trees that looked closer and closer. "How far is the next town?"

"Ash told me we just have to walk through these woods and we'll be at the edge of the next town," the blue-haired girl sighed, hefting her bag and shifting the beanie she'd set on her head. After a moment, she pulled a map out of her pocket and stared at it. "Hmm... not too far. If we head North North-east after following this road about half a mile, we should be there by noon."

_'What is the purpose of such an endeavor?' _Hikaru asked, regarding the two girls with pensive eyes._ 'I do not understand her desire to shop.'_

_'For once, I feel the same, since I don't get it either,' _Jessica replied, shrugging a little. '_It must be fun, though... she seems excited.'_

It wasn't until they went into the woods that a strange feeling overtook Jessie's belly.

Slowing down, the girl paused and turned her head, looking around in confusion. However, just before she was about to hurry forward and catch up to Dawn and Hikaru, she felt a strange prickling on her neck and halted in her tracks with furrowed brows. Feeling a weird tightness in her gut, she ignored how her companions stopped once they noticed she'd fallen behind in favor of looking around.

"What's wrong?" the Pokemon coordonator called, sounding a bit curious. "You okay?"

_Are we being followed?_ Jessica silently wondered, frowning a little. _I have this really weird feeling that someone's watching me._

"No, I just had a weird feeling, that's all," the girl finally replied, jogging over to her. "It's probably nothing.."

"What feeling?" Dawn asked.

"Well, corny as it sounds, I feel like someone's watching me," the girl nervously chuckled, giving a little shrug. "It's not pleasant."

Hikaru's teal eyes sharpened and he glanced at her in surprise.

"Well, um... I don't see anyone," Dawn murmured, tilting her head to the side and leaning away to peer down the path. "Not even a suspicious shadow behind any of the trees. Could it be a wild Pokemom or something?"

Just as she said it, the prickling sensation vanished and Jessie blinked in surprise.

"Actually, the feeling just went away," the redhead muttered, frowning a little. "Weird. Ah, well, maybe I was wrong."

"If you say so," Dawn sighed; Jessie laughed at her bewildered expression, but the two of them didn't notice the way Hikaru stiffened. As a strange shushing noise filled the air, the Mewtwo lunged forward before he fully even realized what he was doing and pushed them from behind: time immediately seemed to slow down when the two girls went flying forward...

But then, a bike came sailing around the bend: upon seeing Hikaru, however, the rider let out a startled shriek and stomped on her brakes.

The screeching of bike tires filled the air.

"M-Mewtwo?!" the bike rider shouted, blue eyes huge. "W-what are _you_ doing here?! Wait... it looks different... so, it's not the same Pokemon?"

"Ow..." Jessica groaned, climbing to her feet and looking at Dawn, who was also getting up. "Hikaru, that hurt..."

"Wah! Team Rocket?!" the bike rider squawked, making Jessie turn; her eyes widened when she found herself staring at none other than Misty, the girl who'd visited her in the hospital. "What are you doing here?!"

"Going shopping in Viridian city with Dawn and Hikaru," she stated simply, dusting her skirt off before grinning and holding up her Pokedex. "But look! Today I got my very own Pokemon training license! Isn't it wonderful?!"

"Eh?" Misty scoffed, eyebrows rising in surprise; she instantly hopped off her bike and hurried over. "No way... you were actually given a genuine license?! Are you serious?!"

"Yeah, and guess what?!" the shorter redhead gushed, grabbing Hikaru's arm and gently pulling the hovering creature over. "I have my very own Pokemon!"

Misty froze and her face turned white.

"No way," she whispered, staring at the two of them in shock. "You... y-you caught a Mewtwo?!"

"Um, sorry to interrupt," Dawn politely intervened, catching Misty's attention, "but... we haven't exactly introduced ourselves. I'm Dawn."

"Um... Misty," the tomboy drawled, shaking her hand. "Ash told me about you in his letters."

"Really?" the azure-haired trainer asked, blinking. "I didn't know that. Anyway, the two of us were heading to Viridian City for a shopping trip, and since Ash is helping Professor Oak, only Mrs. Ketch'um is back at the house doing chores. So, instead of just sitting and waiting for everyone to get back... do you want to come with us?"

Misty looked taken aback by the offer.

"Um, sure, I guess," she muttered, brows furrowing. "It can't hurt."

"Great," Dawn exclaimed. "So, how are we supposed to get to Viridian City? I have a rough idea after looking at the map, but I'm new to the area."

"Yeah, uh, we'll have to go through the woods and across the northeastern bridge," Misty explained, unlocking her bike stand before lifting her cerulean eyes and turning it around. "It's not too far, actually. Maybe a ten minute walk."

"Are you ready to go?" Dawn asked, smiling.

"Yep, I think so," Misty sighed, gripping her bike handles and walking it down the pathway.

With that, they started moving again.

_'That girl seemed to recognize me,' _Hikaru noted after a few moments of silence.

_'Do you want me to ask why?' _Jessie offered, turning slightly and giving him a curious look. _'It might help.'_

_'Please,'_ the Pokemon confirmed, tail flicking.

"Hey, Misty?" Jessica called, skipping forward and peering at the girl. "Earlier, when you almost ran into Hikaru, you looked like you recognized him from somewhere. Is there any particular reason for it?"

"Hikaru?" the tomboy asked, blinking before she glanced at the psychic creature looming behind them. "You mean him? Uh... it's a long story."

"We have plenty of time," Dawn pointed out. "Plus, I'd love to hear it!"

"Well..." Misty drawled, obviously thinking about it, "okay, but this was back when we were still traveling in the Johto region."

Thus, Misty began to tell the story of how they'd gotten mixed up in a huge disaster with Team Rocket, a bunch of cloned Pokemon, and several frightening battles after accidentally discovering the location of a purifying water spring. Hikaru seemed to withdraw further and further into himself as he listened to the tale of the other, heroic Mewtwo. Similarly, Jessie grew a little quiet when Misty mentioned that she had actually been there as well, but her heart lit up a little when Misty added that she'd actually helped for once by doing the right thing.

Still, when the shorter redhead sighed, her pokemon had a faint mental flash of warm arms cradling him in the darkness and shuddered.

By the time Misty's tale was reaching its end, however, they had crossed the bridge into Viridian City and were well on their way to the Mart.

"That's incredible," Dawn stammered, pushing the door to the store opened. "Did you really go through all that?!"

"Yep, and more," the tomboy cheerfully exclaimed, smiling smugly and raising her finger. "In fact, I got to see some of the rarest Pokemon in the world when I was traveling with Ash and Brock! Trust me, those boys may be a little annoying, but wherever they are... you can be sure something interesting is bound to happen!"

When Hikaru and the others wandered into the store, Jessie sighed, feeling a little down.

Just as she was about to follow them, though, something small and hard hit her left shoulder. She jumped in surprise and instantly whirled around, eyes flashing from place to place... but when a familiar shock of orange hair met her gaze, she gasped. Over in the trees, the same guy who'd attacked her with an Arcanine was waving her over with a frantic gleam in his eyes.

She eyed him warily for a moment, but she figured that she could always call for Hikaru if he tried anything funny.

Feeling oddly interested, Jessica walked over to his hiding place.

"What do you want?" she asked, blinking up at the green-eyed young man. "I thought you were going to leave me alone?"

"Yeah, yeah," he grumbled, absently putting a massive hand on her small shoulder. "Look, about that strange Pokemon of yours..."

"If you're asking about Hikaru in the hopes of getting a battle, stop it," the girl peeped. "I'm not interested."

"No, just listen!" the man hissed, lowering his voice. "What I wanted to know is if you know where he came from. Is he really yours?"

Jessie's heart flipped.

_Why does he want to know something like that_? She wondered; then, struggling not to panic, she replied, "yes, he is, but why do you ask?"

"As soon as you return home, hide him," he explained, overriding her exclamation. "Two sketchy-looking guys arrived in Viridian City yesterday. Strange fellows dressed in black. It made my skin crawl just to look at them. Last evening they started asking people if a Pokemon like yours was around, and they're at it again today. No one would say anything, I'm sure. They know trouble when they see it, but I could name a few people in this town who will talk. You and your strange Pokemon are something of an item going around these days."

Jessie went noticeably whiter as the blood drained from her face.

It took all of her self-control to retain a casual air.

"Thanks for telling me," the redhead sighed, relieved that her voice barely trembled. "Do you know where they are?"

"I didn't warn you because I thought you needed to meet those guys!" he scoffed, looking utterly aghast. "Leave Viridian City, and go home."

"All right," Jessica replied, trying to placate the guy, "if that's what you think I should do."

"I do," he rumbled; when he saw her bandages arm, however, his dark expression softened into an apologetic one. "Look... I'm sorry about the other day. I know I made a bad first impression, and for all I know, I may be overreacting... but those guys seriously give me a bad feeling. I think it would be better if you stayed home until they leave. I'll try to keep them away from Pallet Town if they ask me, though it may not do any good. Think of this warning as my way of proving that I'm sorry."

"It's nothing.. still, thank you.I'll leave now, then," she said, giving him a curious look. "But before I go... what's your name?"

"Eh?" he asked, looking startled. "Er... Blaze."

"Pleasure to meet you," Jessie murmured, giving a nod. "My name's Jessica... bye now."

So saying, she whirled around and hurried back over to the Mart.

Upon entering, Jessica ran over to Hikaru and gripped his arm, anxiety lacing her features.

"Hey, Hikaru?" she stated softly, looking up at him. "Can you come with me for a second?"

He blinked when he sensed her nervous demeanor.

When she let go and hurried to the back of the Mart, he floated behind her at a close distance.

When she whirled around, however, she looked at him with uneasy eyes.

_'What is wrong?' _heasked, staring at her. _'You are not yourself.'_

"I'll explain the reason for this later, I promise," Jessie whispered, pulling his pokeball out; when she held it up with a worried expression, is eyes widened in disbelief. "I'm sorry... but please, whatever you do, don't come out until we're back in Pallet Town!"

Before he could react, she pressed the button and the ball opened: Hikaru twitched as he was engulfed with red light and sucked into it.

Holding the ball protectively, she hurried over to Dawn and Misty, who were checking out the clothes in the back.

"Kind of a small selection," Dawn sighed, hanging something up. "They don't even have mini skirts..."

"Well, yeah, since this is a Mini Mart," Misty chuckled, then held up a finger with a smile. "If you really want to do some serious shopping, we'd have to go to Celadon City. They have the best clothes in Kanto."

"Aw... that's a shame..." Dawn sighed. "I'd have liked to get at least one cute thing from Kanto."

"Hey, um," Jessie interrupted, looking at them with nervous eyes when they turned. "I'm not feeling very well... I'm gonna head back to Mrs. Ketch'um's now."

"Are you sure?" Dawn asked with surprise. "You haven't even tried anything on yet!"

Jessica almost laughed and burst into tears at the same moment.

For some reason, she was experiencing an adrenaline rush both because of the lie and what she'd done to Hikaru.

It made her feel sick and unnaturally hyper.

"Yeah, s-sorry," she stammered, smiling nervously, "but... b-but maybe, we can try again when I'm feeling better. Hikaru and I will go on ahead... um... sorry."

Without waiting for a response, Jessica ran out of the minimart and sneaked back through the town towards the woods.

Feeling oddly hesitant, the redhead kept to the shadows as she searched each street, listening for the slightest noise. She prowled across Viridian City, holding Hikaru's pokeball close to her chest, until she heard a strange voice from around a house. Jessica froze: although her ears were keen, she had to strain to hear what was being said.

"When did this happen?" the voice was smooth, like oiled glass, and it seemed to worm its way through the air. "When did the rumor spread?"

"About a week ago," someone else answered. "I only heard about it myself today.".

A third person spoke. The voice was deep and moist. It conjured up images of creeping decay, mold, and other things best left untouched.

"Are you sure?" he inquired. "We would hate to think you had made a mistake. If that were so, it would be most… unpleasant."

"Yeah, I'm sure," the townsman confirmed. "Plenty of people know about it. Go ask them."

He said something else that Jessie didn't catch.

"They have been… rather uncooperative," the words were derisive. "Your information has been helpful. We will not forget you."

Jessica believed him.

"You're not going to hurt the girl or her Pokemon, are you?" the man muttered. "I only told you because it's a common rumor now."

"That's not your concern," the second stranger rasped. "I think you should go."

Jessica heard someone hurrying away, so she peered around the corner to see what was happening.

Two tall men stood in the street: both were dressed in long black cloaks. Hoods shaded their faces, and their hands were gloved.

When Jessica shifted slightly to get a better view, her hair was caught by a passing breeze and drifted out into the open, shining like fire. One of the strangers stiffened and grunted peculiarly to his companion. When they both swiveled around and sank into crouches, however, the girl's breath caught and terror clutched her. Her eyes locked onto their hidden faces, and a stifling power fell over her mind, paralyzing her.

She struggled against it and screamed at herself to move.

Her legs didn't even twitch.

The strangers stalked toward her with a smooth, noiseless gait.

Emblazoned on the front of their cloaks, just above the heart, was a small red 'R'.

"Jessie!" Misty called. "Jessie, if you can hear me, wait up!"

She jerked as her name was called; similarly, the strange men froze in place. Misty soon came into views, hurrying towards her from the side.

Jessica tried to shout for the tomboy to stay away, but her tongue and arms would not stir.

"Jessie! There you are!" Misty cried, running her bike over in the redhead's direction; the strangers gave Jessica one last look, then slipped away between the houses. The power holding her in place vanished, and she collapsed to the ground, shivering all ovee. Sweat beaded on her forehead and made her palms stick to the pokeball in her hands. "H-hey... are you all right?"

When the girl offered a hand and pulled her up with a strong arm, Jessie shivered: her eyes flicked around, searching for anything unusual.

"I... I'm fine," she muttered in dismay, touching her eyelids with a shaking hand. "I just got dizzy all of a sudden, that's all… it's passed now, though. It was very odd—I don't know why it happened. Maybe I was moving too quickly."

"I hope so," Misty murmured, looking worried. "Perhaps it would be better if you went home."

Her eyes went wide with terror and she stared.

_Yes, I have to get home!_ the girl thought to herself. _I have to get there before they do!_

"I think you're right," she stammered, touching her forehead. "Maybe I'm getting ill."

"Then home is the best place for you," Misty sighed; she didn't protest when the Tomboy took her arm and led her away at a quick pace, keeping a firmer grip on her bike. "It's a long walk, but hopefully you'll feel better by the time you arrive.."

"Why were you looking for me?" Jessica asked.

"Simple curiosity," the ginger explained with a shrug. "You're still bad at lying, so I figured you must have had a reason for ducking out on us."

Jessie jumped before her face flushed and she hung her head, twiddling her thumbs with a guilty expression.

"I just heard a weird rumo about me and Hikaru, that's all," she mumbled. "It made me nervous, so... so I figured I should go home."

"Well, if that's the case, say so," Misty scolded, whipping around with an angry expression. "Lying is bad!"

Jessie swallowed and averted her eyes.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "I won't do it again."

"Good," Misty sighed, giving her a nudge. "Dawn wanted my opinion on a few things, so I've got to go now. Be careful on your way back."

Jessica nodded and hurried away, holding Hikaru's Pokeball close to her.

Protecting her Light from the unknown darkness that had come searching for him.


End file.
